Cicada Killer Wasp Sting Danger

Someone asked if Cicada Killer Wasps ever sting or bite people and if they are a danger to people or pets.

Apparently the Cicada Killer rarely stings unless they are disturbed. Although males are aggressive and territorial they have no sting. Females are difficult to provoke, but may sting if provoked. The sting descriptions range from mild, and dissipating within an hour, to medium, and persisting for a week; most information that I've found seems to imply the the sting is relatively minor.

However, note that sting allergies may make the situation potentially very serious. Our Great Dane was stung on the face a couple of times and his entire body became covered in lumps within minutes. Anti-histamine, in this case benadryl, was administered orally immediately, to good effect, and we monitored him to ensure that he didn't require an emergency trip to the vet. It would be nice to be able to say that he learned from his mistake but alas no, there were several re-matches and I think he lost every time.

If you have any comments please let me know and if you have any other questions which you'd like me to answer for free please send them to Ben Dash at ben.dash@gmail.com

Do Toads Hibernate in Garages?

Someone asked me if their pet toad will hibernate if kept in a garage during the cold winter months.

If the garage is uninsulated and unheated then the temperature in the garage will be quite close to the outside temperature, although it would be a bit warmer, and so the toad will probably go into hibernation. Just ensure that it has plenty of food before hibernation time so it can make it through the winter and provide appropriate foliage for the toad to hide itself under.

If the toad came from a pet shop then they can probably provide you with some great tips on how to look after it, how to house it, and what to feed it . If it's a local wild toad then the best thing to do is to set it free where it will do what comes naturally. It would be much better to create a wild toad habitat in the yard/garden where you can see them in their natural setting, not in a glass bowl.

If you have any comments please let me know and if you have any other questions which you'd like me to answer for free please send them to Ben Dash at ben.dash@gmail.com

Katydid versus Cicada

Someone asked what the difference between Katydids and Cicadas is. A Katydid is in the same general family (Tettigoniidae) as grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts. A Cicada is in an entirely different family (Cicadoidea).

Here are some pictures of Katydids:

Katydids in google images
Katydids in Flickr

Here are some pictures of Cicadas:

Cicadas in google images
Cicadas in Flickr

If you have any comments please let me know and if you have any other questions which you'd like me to answer for free please send them to Ben Dash at ben.dash@gmail.com