They are insects and you can be concerned if you want. That's up to you. All kidding aside, I think your looking at a hornet.

{{gwi:432831}}

Did it look like that?

No, it's not a hornet...I just looked up "largest wasp" and found that it was a female midwest cicada wasp...says they're around an inch and a half long...sure seemed bigger than that. They are normally not agressive, but can bite if threatened..or if pushed. They eat cicadas...so if there are more locusts than usual, more cicada wasps. See more pictures and information if you wish at: http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/helpcicadaresearch.html

actually they dont "eat" cicadas they lay theiir lavae
in the body of a cicada and the larvae matures while in the cicada .
if you will go back a few pages you will find a similar thread about cicada killers and a picture of one.
Zeke

Well, thanks for the correction...I guess the little wasps eat the cicada then? Maybe they absorb it...sounds like science fiction....

Sounds like it would be a drag to be a Cicada.... :)

Diann
IA Z5a

If no-one has figured it out yet, this is not a wasp or hornet at all, but a moth! The hornet clearwing (Sesia apiformis) mimics a hornet but is of course totally harmless. However, it wants you to believe otherwise and leave it alone!