This is a type of wasp called the Blue-Winged Wasp, in the family of wasps called Scoliids. This is a native species found throughout much of the U.S. They are solitary wasps and do not have a communal, shared nest (the way hornets or yellowjackets do), so won't be defensive and prone to stinging if disturbed. In fact, they'll largely ignore you, except trying to fly around you as they would any other obstacle, since their focus is on the soil. (Just try not to step on them with exposed feet.) Instead of belonging to a shared colony, each female hunts food for her larvae by herself, though several females can be found in the same area because the habitat suits them as good hunting grounds. (Males, which cannot sting, may also be found in the same area because they are looking for mates, or because they hatched from a prior generation of larvae in the same patch of land.)

They are considered beneficial because they hunt beetle grubs, including Japanese Beetle grubs that feed on turf roots. The presence of several wasps doesn't necessarily mean the grub population in the lawn is high enough to cause damage, and the work the wasps are doing also negates the need for a pesticide treatment for grubs. We recommend the wasps be left alone to do their free pest control, and they will disappear in the coming weeks as the adults die off due to age and having completed their egg-laying. Wasps are also good pollinators, if you have any late-summer blooming native plants in the yard, so you may see them refueling on Goldenrod, Asters, Joe-Pye Weed, Mountain-mint, and other high-value nectar sources.

If you're curious, you can learn more about these wasps from these resources:

• Blue-Winged Wasp - BugGuide
• White Grubs Beware - Bug of the Week blog (published by one of our retired entomologists)
• Befriend Wasps and They Will Befriend You - Bug of the Week blog (probably overlaps some with the blog entry above)

Miri