Low-Flying Lawn Insects

Types

• Scoliid wasps are commonly seen from June to October. These wasps are dark colored and have yellow spots on their bodies. Female Scoliid wasps fly low over grass, searching for insects. Another low-flying lawn insect is the Tiphia wasp, which is native to Japan. This wasp is often mistaken for stinging insects, but it rarely stings.

Benefits

• The Scoliid wasp and the Tiphia wasp are both considered beneficial insects. Flying low to the ground in a figure-eight pattern, these wasps search for grubs and larvae that damage grass and plants. These wasps are effective in reducing grub populations.

Control

• Control measures are not recommended for these low-flying lawn insects because they do not usually sting and they eliminate important lawn pests. The presence of low-flying lawn insects may indicate the presence of grubs, which often requires chemical control.