These wasps, known variously as spider hawks or spider wasps or for some tarantula hawks, are very neat animals. They capture large insects or spiders by stinging and paralyzing them, then place the victim in a hole in the ground, and lay an egg on it. The egg hatches and the larvae gets to eat some fresh food before morphing into an adult wasp and digging itself out of the ground.
Here is one dragging what looks like a tree cricket or larval katydid to it's hole near the top of the Firestone Center property.
Here is one dragging what looks like a tree cricket or larval katydid to it's hole near the top of the Firestone Center property.
Spider wasp dragging prey into its hole
And now your fun fact of the day. The Schmidt Pain Index goes from 0 (bite does not break skin) to 4 (really, really ouchie) and rates quite a number of insect bites as to how painful they are. This wasp rates a 4, as painful as anything pretty much can be.
And lastly, a short video from Borneo where I explain these spiders in a little more detail.
And lastly, a short video from Borneo where I explain these spiders in a little more detail.
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