“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.” -Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

One of the magical aspects of having a pollinator garden is the diverse array of creatures that come and stay for a while. Creatures that I used to fear (and sometimes still do) brush right past me, minding their own business. Even my children have learned to live in peace alongside them. Occasionally, there are a few hiccups; the wasps get a little too close, but overall, they bustle about the garden in a hurry to bounce along the flowers.

A couple of days ago, one particular flying fellow caught my eye as it buzzed hurriedly along the fence line. Its black and yellow striped, resembling a yellow jacket wasp, but it was much larger. As big as a silver dollar. It didn’t visit long that day.

It wasn’t long before we met again, and it wasn’t for a visit; instead, he moved in. This evening, like any other evening, I watered my garden. I am in a slight seasonal transition in my garden, so one of my garden beds is empty, containing only soil, which I water daily in order for it to retain some nutrients. However, this time the giant black and yellow wasp jumped out at me, but not before getting sprayed square in the face with water from the hose. A loud buzz squeezed out as he hit the ground, uninjured, just stunned.

Taking advantage of the moment, I pulled out my phone to identify the unfamiliar little friend and found that it was a Cicada Killing Wasp. Not only are they beautifully terrifying, but they also have a name to match. That being said, that is the limit to their scariness. How does that saying go… “looks can be deceiving?” These Wasps are incredibly interesting but rather docile. Like their name insinuates, their favorite snack to hunt is cicadas; however, they do help maintain other bug populations as well.

Not only did this little guy stick around for a photo shoot, but once I apologized for spraying him, he shook off his wings and politely flew away.

Meeting with creatures like him always reminds me not to “judge a book by its cover”, but also, remembering that being afraid doesn’t automatically mean we need to jump to harm. Sometimes it means we need to be open to understanding.

XOXO,

Shay

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