Is it a cicada killer wasp or 'Murder Hornet'?
Since the announcement of the Asian giant hornet (murder hornet) in 2020, we have received hundreds of identification requests for what are really cicada killer wasps, all of which are beneficial species. Here is a close-up photo of the three cicada killer wasp species and the Asian giant hornet. Note that the "bands" on the abdomens of the cicada killers are not smooth, and those on the AGH are.