A tarantula hawk is a kind of wasp that hunts tarantulas for food for their larvae. These were feeding on weed flowers which I think are pretty even if they are weeds. The female wasp stings and paralyzes the tarantula and drags it to a nest where she lays one egg on the abdomen of the tarantula. When the egg hatches the wasp larvae enters the spider's abdomen and feeds on the live tarantula avoiding the vital organs to keep the spider alive as long as possible. Yes, these are the things that nightmares are made of.
9 comments:
The glossy black bodies are a striking contrast against the white "flowers." Fascinating information but not exactly the kind of animal I'd like to have around me.
I just heard a story on NPR about a similar wasp that did the same thing only with roaches. The insect world is a very scary place.
Good lord this sounds like a horror movie! Yikes! Who knew? I remember little black widows we killed in our home in Scottsdale and I thought they were bad.
The animal world is remarkable. I love much of it, but your post today is an example of the vastness of hte animal kingdom that I hope to avoid..
Oh my goodness! I've always been wary of these guys and now I know why.
I want to know nothing about insects' world. After I found out about ant and ant-hills, bees organization and now, these black guys. Scary smart worlds and great picture!
I've never thought of a tarantula as being a victim, now I have to rethink that. :)
I am like CameraGirl!
What a take and what a explanation... it will haunt me for the day :-)
OMG! What a fabulous capture! Well done, Judy.
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