skip to main content

COURSE CARE

Hot Tips for This Summer

By Stan Zontek, Darin Bevard, and Keith Happ

| Jul 28, 2011

Although they are a nuisance to golfers, the Eastern Cicada Killer wasps are more interested in killing cicadas than stinging humans.

Issue:  "Bees" infesting golf course bunkers and frightening golfers who are afraid they will be stung.

Solution:
Educate golfers that the wasps that inhabit bunkers are actually Eastern Cicada Killer wasps.  Although their large size and swarming can be intimidating, they are non-aggressive.  Unless these insects are directly handled, they try to avoid contact and will not sting people.  Control of these wasps is very difficult and really unnecessary unless they are burrowing in areas such as putting greens or fairways where they can cause damage.