Sand Wasps: A Friendly Nuisance or Harmful Pest?

For a few weeks every year we have little friends make homes in our sand traps. These fast fliers are officially known as the Bembix Sand Wasp. They dig numerous burrows in soft sand (ie- bunkers) to lay their eggs. Juvenile wasps, known as larvae, emerge from the eggs where they remain in the sand and grow into adults. Adult females congregate together in large numbers when making nests to bait their prey. The higher populations of larvae in nesting sites attract flies, beetles, caterpillars and grasshopper. These insects are captured by the female sand wasp and taken back to the sand burrows to be fed to the growing larvae. 

Close up of a Sand Wasp

The existence of these critters in the bunkers is a nuisance to golfer but beneficial to the the course as they help to control the population of flies and detrimental turf beetles by preying on them. The greatest concern for golfers is that they will get stung by these wasps when entering a bunker to play a shot.   Studies have proven that this particular wasp is not aggressive and of no harm to humans.  Both male and females wasps will not sting humans unless they are stepped on or smashed between your hands.  When approached by a human the sand wasp will initially swarm, looking for food, and then go back to their burrows to protect their larvae.  It may be a distraction when trying to play a shot from a bunker but keep in mind, bunkers are hazards and populations will dissipate in September when new adults emerge from the sand.

Shown here are a few females hovering over their nests protecting their growing young

For a video demonstrating the aggression and sting capabilities of the sand wasp, click on or copy and paste the following link to a web browser- .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB4bJkZFDhE