Classification...finally!

I browsed whatsthatbug.com while at home for lunch and came upon a recent posting of a Ukranian Digger Wasp. The big yellow eyes give it away. That is what we have in the garden beds!

Per WTB, "This is a Digger Wasp in the family Scoliidae. Scoliid Wasps are hairy, robust wasps that prey upon the ground dwelling grubs of Scarab Beetles. The adult wasps feed on nectar, and the beetle grubs are food for the larval wasps. There is a close enough resemblance to a North American species, Scolia dubia, that your specimen might be in the same genus."

yA little research indicates that females keep a few nests in the soil, lay eggs, and feed them. These larvae overwinter in the ground and emerge in the spring.

It does appear that we will be tilling the soil a little deeper than I originally thought. 3-4" may not be enough! Apparently deep tilling isn't good because it releases sequestered CO₂ into the air and disrupts worm and nematode habitats. Sorry guys, but these wasps have to go!