Cicada Killer Wasps

Have you noticed these insects during the height of Summer?

They are hard to miss if you have them, 

since the females can be up to 2 inches long!

They are cicada killer wasps.
The wasp digs a burrow, then flies off to sting and capture a cicada.

She then half flies, half drags the cicada, who is nearly double her weight,
back into the burrow, lays and egg on it and seals the chamber for her offspring to develop.
Theses wasps look fearsome, but rarely sting humans.
Still. I cringe when I mow over the burrows!