Tarantula killer (Pepsis formosa) caught in the act..pictures

[Galapoheros]

I was mowing my lawn and on the way to the backyard I caught a tarantula killer dragging it's victim across the lawn. I stole it from the wasp. I've brought several Aphonopelma moderatum back from being paralyzed. Or would they have made it anyway regardless of me giving them water? Well all I know is that they are thirsty. I think when you give them water, they are able to filter the toxins out of their body. I turn them over and put a few drops of water on their mouth parts and it soon disappears. It's August 14. We may see how long it takes to bring one back if it makes it. I will post more photos and keep the forum updated. Later. Dang! Forgot to crop the second image.

 

[TRowe]

Very interesting pictures. I spotted a Pepsis wasp right outside of Marfa, TX in June. Much larger than I had expected them to be.

Good luck with the rehab!

Tim

 

[tarsier]

good luck

wow! Hope it makes a speedy recovery

 

[CedrikG]

thats some freaky pictures mate, first time I see that ... what an insane fly

 

[Mandi]

good luck! i have a soft spot for aphonophelmas

 

[arizona]

Those wasps are awesome saw one today while looking for milli's. It had the purple black wings, most of them around here have the orange wings.

 

[Galapoheros]

But kind of interesting anyway isn't it.... Just gave it some water. Already drinking. No movement yet.

I've seen the black one too. The one's with the orange wings in west Tx seem to be bigger that the one in the picture. I live near Austin Tx....Cedar Park.

 

[Adnan]

Nice! More pics please!

 

[Galapoheros]

Aawww, I deleted the others but there will be more of the T's recovery(I hope) and other stuff. I think I found the wasps hole earlier but didn't know what was in there. Put water down the hole but nothing came out. The next day it had been dug out again. Filled up the hole with water again but nothing..... Hehehe, I'm just a big kid.

 

[arizona]

So how is the T doing?

 

[cacoseraph]

But kind of interesting anyway isn't it.... Just gave it some water. Already drinking. No movement yet.

I've seen the black one too. The one's with the orange wings in west Tx seem to be bigger that the one in the picture. I live near Austin Tx....Cedar Park.

very cool
i think you are only the second or third person i've read about rehabilitating paralyzed tarantulas. keep up the good work

awesome pics

i heard those huge Pepsis are VERY painful to get stung by

 

[connor3k]

have a fast recovery and have fun finding more and saving lives??

 

[Galapoheros]

If it makes it and someone wants the T, let me know. Still drinking. No movement.

 

[Dark Raptor]

I've tried to recover small Lycosidae spiders paralised by parasitic Hymenoptera. Without success.

Great pics.

 

[Wade]

I once found an A. chalcodes being dragged accross the road by a wasp. I collected them both . At first, I had to drip water on the chelicerea, and offer it smashed-up crickets by putting the "cricket paste" right on the mouth. Although the spider never became fully "normal", it did eventually regain it's ability to walk and capture prey (provided it wasn't too fast or large). Ultimately, it died trying to molt. I suspect that it was simply too weak to free itself from the old exuvium. It would have been the ultimate molt, and was obviously male.

Wade

 

[MrMatt]

Here is a link to some T's I rescued from Pepsis several years back most survived and I was able to release them 1 to 2 years after being stung. So it is possible to keep them alive. I would give them drops of water and diluted 'cricket shake'. Good luck.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=9244

 

[dtknow]

Would you guys say that if you see these Pepsis wasps that that should be a good sign of tarantulas being common in the area? I often see them in certain places(I read the ones with blue-black wings are not tarantula hawks...take things like crickets).