THIS NEXT STORY IS CREATING
QUITE THE "BUZZ" ON THE 9 ON
YOUR SIDE FACEBOOK PAGE.
PAGE.A PICTURE OF A WASP-LIKE
INSECT - THAT'S FLYING AROUND TOWN.
TOWN.9 ON YOUR SIDE ANCHOR
RYAN HOUSTON HAS BEEN LOOKING
INTO WHAT IT IS... AND WHETHER
YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED!
IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE A
HORNET----BUT IT'S NOT. AND
DON'T WORRY----WILDLIFE
OFFICIALS SAY THESE LITTLE BAD
BOYS JUST WANT TO BE LEFT
ALONE.
IT LOOKS LIKE A HORNET---- BUT
IT'S NOT. SOME HAVE A STINGER
AND ARE KNOWN TO KILL.
KILL.
"THEY ARE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
I'M SURE--- IF YOU'VE SEEN
THEM YOU MAYBE HAVE RUN AWAY A
LITTLE SCARED BEFORE. I KNOW I
HAVE BEFORE I KNEW WHAT THEY
WERE." MANDY PRITCHARD
DOESN'T ANYMORE. SHE SAYS----
THESE ARE JUST CICADA KILLERS.
"CICADA KILLERS ARE SOLITARY
WASPS THEY ARE NATIVE SPECIES
HERE IN OHIO. AND THEY HAVE A
REALLY COOL AND SOME PEOPLE
THINK SCARY LIFE CYCLE."
PRITCHARD IS THE TEAM LEADER
AT THE WORLD OF THE INSECT AT
THE CINCINNATI ZOO. SHE' SAYS
THE CICADA KILLERS ARE ONLY
AFTER OTHER CICADAS THEY'RE
NOT AFTER HUMANS.
"THEY WILL HUNT DOWN CICADA'S
THE FEMALES WILL. THEY WILL
TAKE THEM OUT MID AIR AND THEY
WILL WRESTLE THEM DOWN TO THE
GROUND AND STING THEM. AND
THEM VENOM ACTUALLY PARALYLZES
THE CICADA."SHE SAYS THE MALES
DON'T HAVE A STINGER. AND THE
FEMALE CICADA KILLER WILL ONLY
ATTACK HUMANS IF THEY'RE
PROVOKED.
"THEY FLY AROUND PRETTY
AGGRESIVELY AND THEY WON'T
BOTHER YOU UNLESS YOU DESERVE
IT. SO UNLESS YOU'RE PICKING
THEM UP OR STEPPING ON ONE- OR
ONE GETS CAUGHT IN YOUR
CLOTHING OR ANYTHING. THEY'RE
NOT GOING TO STING YOU.
THEY'RE WAY MORE INTERESTED IN
FINDING THEIR FOOD SOURCE."
IF YOU WANT TO READ MORE ABOUT
HOW THE CICADA KILLERS FEED
AND BIRTH THEIR YOUNG----YOU
CAN FIND THAT ON WCPO.COM.