Today is a very special day. If you are reading this column on the day this newspaper was delivered, you are celebrating the 226th birthday of our nation. Unfortunately, most people celebrate today as just a day they don't have to go to work, a day they can go to the beach, a day for cookouts with their family or friends, or a day to include in a week-long vacation. Very little thought is given to the true importance of what happened 226 years ago.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, establishing a free nation. True freedom was a dream of all of those who came to this new nation, even before this eventful day. People sought a nation where they were free to express their opinion without fear of judgment from an oppressive government, a nation where they were free to worship as they wished, and a nation where each individual had the freedom to choose and direct their own profession.

This great nation has thrived on the standards that were established on July 4, 1776. For the past 226 years, and even today, people come to this nation seeking this freedom.

Yet, some people who live in this nation do not understand and do not appreciate what this freedom really means for us. They challenge this freedom by questioning the intent of the Declaration of Independence, and they attempt to change the wording of our most precious pledge to the flag of this great nation. Do they not realize that this nation provides them the opportunity to express their opinion without fear of reprisal. Because we are a free nation, do they not also realize that they cannot force their opinions on others?

I wonder what the gentleman who is in the news about changing the wording of our Pledge of Allegiance is doing today. I wonder what the judge that ruled in his favor is doing today. Are they celebrating the 4th of July? Are they celebrating the freedoms that this nation provides? Maybe they are questioning whether or not they want to live in a free society. Maybe they are deciding if they might should move to another nation where the government and the courts of law dictate how people believe.

Now that I have expressed my opinion about what was recently in the news, let me share some information you might find interesting. If you are involved in outdoor activities on this special holiday, you might encounter a couple of very interesting insects. About this time each year our office receives a number of phone calls about large, ferocious-looking wasps. These wasps are flying around the yard and are digging holes and creating large, unattractive mounds of dirt that interfere with lawn mowers.

These insects are cicada killer wasps. They are solitary, ground-nesting wasps, meaning they do not nest with many other wasps like some of the other wasps we encounter, and they build their nest in the ground. Cicadas, which emerged last week, are the only food source for this wasp. They search out cicadas, sting them to paralyze them, and drag them back to the nest. Once in the nest, the female wasp lays her eggs on the cicada. Soon wasp larvae hatch from the eggs and feed upon the cicada. When mature, the wasp larvae pupate and another generation of wasps emerges to carry on the life cycle. The cicada killer wasp is a beautiful yellow, black, and brown color and is almost two inches long. When several of these wasps start swarming around a yard, the noise can be impressive.

Although these wasps appear to be ferocious, they seldom sting even if captured and handled. The female does have a large stinger, and like other species of wasps and bees, the males do not have stingers.

Since these wasps feed on cicadas, they are actually beneficial insects, and since they don't sting, they should not be killed. The active period of these wasps is only a few weeks, and because the ground is so hard and dry this year, they may be less of a problem than in past years. But they are fascinating to watch.

When the cicadas and cicada killer wasps appear, it means it is also time for the big, red velvet ants to appear. The nickname for one of the velvet ants is "cow killer" because of its amazing stinger. Although it looks like an ant and is called a velvet ant, this insect is actually a wingless wasp. This wasp can and will sting and can inflict a very serious sting if handled or if stepped on while barefooted.

This insect squeaks very loud, especially when stepped on, but the sound of the insect will be drowned out by the painful screams of the person who stepped on it if they are barefooted.

Velvet ants are parasitic wasps. The females are wingless and resemble hairy ants. Female velvet ants seek out a host nest and lay their eggs on the host larva. The velvet ant larvae consume the host wasp larvae and pupate and mature into another generation of velvet ants. The cow killer parasitizes the nests of the cicada killer wasp. Cow killers slip into the host wasp nest, lay their eggs, and depart. The exceptionally tough exoskeleton of the cow killer protects it from stings of the host wasp in case they meet in the nest. Velvet ants are not usually numerous and no control measures are usually needed. Usually a big stick or heavy-soled shoe will take care of this insect, but normally, there is no harm in letting them live.

Enjoy your holiday. Don't step on a cow killer, watch the cicada killer wasps with fascination, and remember the importance of the 4th of July.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 7/15/02