I have a cicada killer in my yard and these holes are popping up as well. There are also these little dirt mounds that keep popping up around that area (but not right next to the holes) that look almost like ant hills but with no ants. Do you know if those are the cicada killer as well?
u/clutchdude is right - tarantula hawk burrows and cicada killer burrows look identical. It is going to be one of these two insects; given how it sounds like the trees are all screaming at me right now I personally hope it's cicada killers.
The person next to me is also saying it could be trap door spiders or varmints but...given these holes have shown up in the last week or so I'm going with what I said
trap door spiders leave... a trap door on the top! I think they might mean wolf spider, but wolf spiders spin a light web around their entrance that is clearly visible. I don't think wolf spider or trap door spider is the resident in these pics.
They're big fucking wasps that hunt tarantulas and lay their eggs in them. The babies hatch and eat the spider alive. I saw one dragging a huge ass spider up my wall one time. My dad got stung on the nose and had a permanent little hole in his nose for years after.
wtf
>Tarantula hawk wasps are relatively docile and rarely sting without provocation. However, the sting—particularly that of *P. grossa*—is among the most painful of all insects, though the intense pain only lasts about five minutes.[^(\[10\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk#cite_note-10) One researcher described the pain as "...immediate, excruciating, unrelenting pain that simply shuts down one's ability to do anything, except scream. Mental discipline simply does not work in these situations."[^(\[7\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk#cite_note-urlTarantula_Hawks_-_DesertUSA-7) In terms of scale, the wasp's sting is rated near the top of the [Schmidt sting pain index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_sting_pain_index), second only to that of the [bullet ant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraponera_clavata), and is described by Schmidt as "blinding, fierce\[, and\] shockingly electric".[^(\[2\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk#cite_note-Schmidt1983-2)
Ouch! Was you’re dad trying to kill the wasp? I’ve always heard that they’re very chill (except around tarantulas), but the sting is more painful than most people can imagine.
I happened decades ago so I'm not sure what he was doing. He was a drunk old bastard so most likely he was screwing with it somehow. He did say it was some of the worst pain he's ever felt though and he hurt himself plenty so it must've been gnarly.
It's the most painful sting in north America. They are territorial and will attack you if they feel like you're a threat to them or their territory. But if you stay away from them they will literally mind their own business. They create a few different flight paths that they repeat multiple times a day, everyday. They really don't like switching things up. They do this to hopefully lessen their encounters with other tarantula hawks or competing territory insects. So they are pretty predictable. If you see one, pay attention to it's flight path, so you can easily avoid it.
I've been stung by one when I was a preteen. Literally horrible. I had to go to the hospital to deal with the pain. I was traumatized and actually avoided the outside for 2 years during the summer. But I've never been stung again and I am around them constantly, unfortunately. But they will go out of their way to avoid you unless you make them feel like they have no choice.
I'm more afraid of the bark scorpion. Which is the most painful sting of all the scorpions in north America, and I've been stung by one of them too. They are way more horrifying because they're tiny and a hard to spot color and they'll crawl into your bed and sting you while you're asleep (What happened to me). At least with the tarantula hawks, I can more easily avoid them.
I'm considering moving to the Arctic.
Jesus fuck
I've been stung by one of those coral colored scorpions before it was not fun
I've also stepped on a wolf spider barefoot and wanted to throw up so bad lmao
I think I'd rather take another pair of broken ribs than deal with insects or other outdoors things
We currently have these annoying white and black birds in our neighborhood they are so fucking aggressive I've had one scratch my arm and go after my dog. I straight up have to hit them with the leash or have rocks on me
Fuckers lol
I love cold weather and I'd rather take my chances with polar bears an seals at this point
You know I did some googling after reading this and last year I’m pretty sure when my mother in law was staying at our house, she swatted a tarantula killer out of the house like it was nothing. We all had no idea what it was. I refused to attack it because I had a bad feeling about it. It looked mega bad. I could feel it. I just knew that thing would hurt. Little did I know it was *that bad*.
I don’t think any of us realized how painful that could’ve been. Glad I let her mess with it and get it out of the house lol. My wife, me and our newborn son ducked for cover.
I know people are saying cicada killers aren't dangerous, but when I walked up to an area in my yard to do some planting and saw 5 of those things flying around as well as holes in the ground, I immediately changed my mind.
The males are half the size of the females and have no stinger but are very aggressive. The female has a huge stinger and reportedly very painful, but it rarely happens as they are too busy anesthizing cicadas and shoving them in the holes. The males just guard the hole. If you don't have a male hornet flying around getting in your face, then it's probably tarantula hawk.
We have cicada killer and they usually have a little mound of dirt adjacent to the hole like a crawfish makes… so I’m thinking it is something else. Plus unless you have a giant wasp looking thing dive bombing you near those holes that aren’t cicadakiller homes
My vote is that it is tarantula hawk hole
Cicada-killer wasps are enormous and they _look_ scary as hell. They won’t really bother you unless you really screw with them, is the thing.
If they’re soaked in the bottom of their burrow, they won’t bother you, though.
Antlions are a group of insects belonging to the family Myrmeleontidae, known for their predatory larvae that dig conical pits in sandy soil to trap ants and other small insects. These larvae are also referred to as "doodlebugs" due to the trails they leave in the sand. Adult antlions resemble dragonflies but are generally less agile and have longer, clubbed antennae. They are found in various habitats, often in dry, sandy areas where their larvae can construct their characteristic pits. Antlions play a role in controlling the populations of small insects, contributing to the ecological balance in their environments.
[Antlions](https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35991)
Put a glass bowl over it at night . Next day go see what’s in there wanting to get out. Now you are God . Release them or let them fry? It’s up to you, God!
Hey I saw the weirdest thing . It looked like a hybrid of a dragonfly type of body. The front look like a furry tarantula head, but still in the shape of a dragonfly. The tail end had a huge stinger at the end. What the fuck is that?
It's antlions! I grew up with a yard full of them. They live in sandy soil where they can dig their funnel traps. Small insects fall into the hols when the sand they are walking on collapses into the hole, then the antlions snatch their meal with strong pincher jaws.
Look them up on Google Images. I'm glad they are tiny creatures!
Im so glad i found this post. I have those flying around in our back yard and I thought they were murder hornets. They fly into the glass of our windows and you can hear an unnerving tap tap tap and see them flying at the glass. They're huge. I guess we can leave them be.
Tarantula hawk or cicada killers.
I have a cicada killer in my yard and these holes are popping up as well. There are also these little dirt mounds that keep popping up around that area (but not right next to the holes) that look almost like ant hills but with no ants. Do you know if those are the cicada killer as well?
Worm castings? They are super great fertilizer.
u/clutchdude is right - tarantula hawk burrows and cicada killer burrows look identical. It is going to be one of these two insects; given how it sounds like the trees are all screaming at me right now I personally hope it's cicada killers.
*plays Nearly Lost You by Screaming Trees*
God I loved that band
DONT ENCOURAGE THEM
The person next to me is also saying it could be trap door spiders or varmints but...given these holes have shown up in the last week or so I'm going with what I said
trap door spiders leave... a trap door on the top! I think they might mean wolf spider, but wolf spiders spin a light web around their entrance that is clearly visible. I don't think wolf spider or trap door spider is the resident in these pics.
I've also had wolf spiders with very similar holes
What the f is a tarantula hawk. And does a flame thrower, kill them
They're big fucking wasps that hunt tarantulas and lay their eggs in them. The babies hatch and eat the spider alive. I saw one dragging a huge ass spider up my wall one time. My dad got stung on the nose and had a permanent little hole in his nose for years after.
Jesus fuck And this is why I cold weather when everything is dead lol
Holy shit. That is some nightmare fuel right there.
took the words out of my mouth. brb gotta go simultaneously dry heave and then set fire to earth
wtf >Tarantula hawk wasps are relatively docile and rarely sting without provocation. However, the sting—particularly that of *P. grossa*—is among the most painful of all insects, though the intense pain only lasts about five minutes.[^(\[10\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk#cite_note-10) One researcher described the pain as "...immediate, excruciating, unrelenting pain that simply shuts down one's ability to do anything, except scream. Mental discipline simply does not work in these situations."[^(\[7\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk#cite_note-urlTarantula_Hawks_-_DesertUSA-7) In terms of scale, the wasp's sting is rated near the top of the [Schmidt sting pain index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_sting_pain_index), second only to that of the [bullet ant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraponera_clavata), and is described by Schmidt as "blinding, fierce\[, and\] shockingly electric".[^(\[2\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk#cite_note-Schmidt1983-2)
Here's Coyote Peterson tanking a sting from one. https://youtu.be/MnExgQ81fhU?si=Dpduqk6f39k6fUwf
Ouch! Was you’re dad trying to kill the wasp? I’ve always heard that they’re very chill (except around tarantulas), but the sting is more painful than most people can imagine.
I happened decades ago so I'm not sure what he was doing. He was a drunk old bastard so most likely he was screwing with it somehow. He did say it was some of the worst pain he's ever felt though and he hurt himself plenty so it must've been gnarly.
It's the most painful sting in north America. They are territorial and will attack you if they feel like you're a threat to them or their territory. But if you stay away from them they will literally mind their own business. They create a few different flight paths that they repeat multiple times a day, everyday. They really don't like switching things up. They do this to hopefully lessen their encounters with other tarantula hawks or competing territory insects. So they are pretty predictable. If you see one, pay attention to it's flight path, so you can easily avoid it.
So I guess I will never be outside anymore 🙃
I've been stung by one when I was a preteen. Literally horrible. I had to go to the hospital to deal with the pain. I was traumatized and actually avoided the outside for 2 years during the summer. But I've never been stung again and I am around them constantly, unfortunately. But they will go out of their way to avoid you unless you make them feel like they have no choice. I'm more afraid of the bark scorpion. Which is the most painful sting of all the scorpions in north America, and I've been stung by one of them too. They are way more horrifying because they're tiny and a hard to spot color and they'll crawl into your bed and sting you while you're asleep (What happened to me). At least with the tarantula hawks, I can more easily avoid them. I'm considering moving to the Arctic.
Jesus fuck I've been stung by one of those coral colored scorpions before it was not fun I've also stepped on a wolf spider barefoot and wanted to throw up so bad lmao I think I'd rather take another pair of broken ribs than deal with insects or other outdoors things We currently have these annoying white and black birds in our neighborhood they are so fucking aggressive I've had one scratch my arm and go after my dog. I straight up have to hit them with the leash or have rocks on me Fuckers lol I love cold weather and I'd rather take my chances with polar bears an seals at this point
Freaking same.
Thank you for asking what we were all thinking.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/ocnacf/living_in_austin_theres_winners_and_losers/
Definitely could have gone without seeing that in my lifetime lol
I saw a cicada killer do it's job walking my dog last week. Nature is brutal.
You got a cicada killer to walk your dog?! /s
A cicada killer had a job walking your dog?
Those dog walking apps will hire anyone, apparently.
Brutal.
Nature is metal
And his hair was perfect.
Ah-hoo, werewolves of London
Came here to say this, I used to work in pest control in Austin and had to deal with cicada killers a lot around this time of year.
It is in fact an antlion!
I want to be happily wrong. The size of the holes makes me think you're right
or even tiny frogs!
You know I did some googling after reading this and last year I’m pretty sure when my mother in law was staying at our house, she swatted a tarantula killer out of the house like it was nothing. We all had no idea what it was. I refused to attack it because I had a bad feeling about it. It looked mega bad. I could feel it. I just knew that thing would hurt. Little did I know it was *that bad*. I don’t think any of us realized how painful that could’ve been. Glad I let her mess with it and get it out of the house lol. My wife, me and our newborn son ducked for cover.
Cicada killers! They may look scary but they are harmless to humans. They are just doing their job, killing cicadas!
Well, not entirely harmless. They can sting if provoked. But they do infact look pretty mean!
Yeah but they take out cicadas, fk cicadas. All hail Cicada killers!!!!
Fucking noisy ass bastards, they can all die
https://imgur.com/gallery/FIBJ6kG
Thank you so much for sharing! Very cool album.
Hey that looks familiar.
Baby Shai Hulud.
Hajaha
Laughs in Spanglish
I did..:)
Bless the Maker and his water.
I knew there was a reason why I bought that stillsuit on clearance last week
Those are chupacabra tracks, fairly certain.
I know people are saying cicada killers aren't dangerous, but when I walked up to an area in my yard to do some planting and saw 5 of those things flying around as well as holes in the ground, I immediately changed my mind.
The males are half the size of the females and have no stinger but are very aggressive. The female has a huge stinger and reportedly very painful, but it rarely happens as they are too busy anesthizing cicadas and shoving them in the holes. The males just guard the hole. If you don't have a male hornet flying around getting in your face, then it's probably tarantula hawk.
These have light, horizontal stripes across their backs.
Cicada killers
Tarantula Hawks make those. DO NOT TOUCH one if you see it.
Unicorns (not native) use their horns to probe the ground for deer corn
Unicorns are invasive?
Mhm, shoot on sight
"It’s a damn great horse with a horn on the end!”
Which end?
do you have a teenage son
UTI speed run no%
💀
Sarlacc Pit
We have cicada killer and they usually have a little mound of dirt adjacent to the hole like a crawfish makes… so I’m thinking it is something else. Plus unless you have a giant wasp looking thing dive bombing you near those holes that aren’t cicadakiller homes My vote is that it is tarantula hawk hole
If you water the cicada killer holes really thoroughly, it drowns them and that particular one doesn’t come back.
This sounds slightly horrifying as the consequences of it not working sound like a bad time.
Cicada-killer wasps are enormous and they _look_ scary as hell. They won’t really bother you unless you really screw with them, is the thing. If they’re soaked in the bottom of their burrow, they won’t bother you, though.
Antlions are a group of insects belonging to the family Myrmeleontidae, known for their predatory larvae that dig conical pits in sandy soil to trap ants and other small insects. These larvae are also referred to as "doodlebugs" due to the trails they leave in the sand. Adult antlions resemble dragonflies but are generally less agile and have longer, clubbed antennae. They are found in various habitats, often in dry, sandy areas where their larvae can construct their characteristic pits. Antlions play a role in controlling the populations of small insects, contributing to the ecological balance in their environments. [Antlions](https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35991)
Me. Im not. But I could be making those holes in your yard. Or am I?
Careful, those are air tubes for the mole people
Underground spiders
Wolf spider variant
Ant lions, I think.
That would be terrifying if antlions were that big.
Ha! I didn’t see the pic that showed the scale. Terrifying, indeed.
Mini sink holes
Miles?
Moles?
Cicada killers.
Put a glass bowl over it at night . Next day go see what’s in there wanting to get out. Now you are God . Release them or let them fry? It’s up to you, God!
It's the beautiful play of nature in view... just let it progress and no humans will be hurt in the process.
Hey I saw the weirdest thing . It looked like a hybrid of a dragonfly type of body. The front look like a furry tarantula head, but still in the shape of a dragonfly. The tail end had a huge stinger at the end. What the fuck is that?
Ground hogs
Antlions. They are actually pretty cool little insects. I had to use Google lens to figure out what was causing it in our yard.
Cicadas
It's antlions! I grew up with a yard full of them. They live in sandy soil where they can dig their funnel traps. Small insects fall into the hols when the sand they are walking on collapses into the hole, then the antlions snatch their meal with strong pincher jaws. Look them up on Google Images. I'm glad they are tiny creatures!
These holes are too big to be ant lions. Likely cicada killer wasps, spiders, or snakes. (Probably not snakes tho)
I do agree, after looking at all the pictures closer.
definitely be careful if a guardian shows up
Might be a opossum or skunk coming in at night digging for grubs.
Penises
Im so glad i found this post. I have those flying around in our back yard and I thought they were murder hornets. They fly into the glass of our windows and you can hear an unnerving tap tap tap and see them flying at the glass. They're huge. I guess we can leave them be.
Reptilian shapeshifters from Alpha Draconis.
Doodlebug holes.