Are tarantula hawk an obligate nemesis for our Ts

[Gogyeng]

Pompilidae is a notorious family in the order hymenoptera that hunts all kind of spiders, which they feed to their larvae. This family contains about 5,000 species worldwide, with 5 subfamilies being known in the Neotropical region (Ctenocerinae, Notocyphinae, Ceropalinae, Pompilinae and Pepsinae), with approximately 60 genera and 1000 known species. Specimens in Pompilinae and Pepsinae count some of the largest contenders. Highly specialized in mygalomorph spiders. They have no known predators. Is there any genus/species of tarantula escaping this deadly association? Do the distribution of pompilid wasps perfectly overlap with our beloved tarantulas? For instance, Do tarantula hawks follow our Euathlus condorito even in the depth of the snowy Andes?

 

[EtienneN]

I would think that some of the coastal islands wouldn't necessarily have them. But I'm not sure.

 

[Wolfram1]

I am leaning out of the window here but i think there are parasitic wasps praying on nerly any species, especially ones that have few other predators, keeping them in check.
A prime example wohld be Trissolcus japanicus that destroys up to 90% of the asian brown stinkbugs eggs in asia, but is missing in europe etc. were it can thus cause large losses in agricultural fields.

Now of course birdspiders are prayed upon by a lot of different animals, but i guess they just have no defense against this kind of enemy. Though most mf the parasitic wasps i heard of specialise on a single prey species (more or less).

Not sure if an earth-bound creature could ever be totaly seperated from a flying creature like a wasp by living on an island

 

[Gogyeng]

Case Psalmopoeus Cambridgei ? Living in trinidad island, much less secretive than its nearest conspecific irminia perhaps for this reason?

 

[Cavedweller]

Does Socotra have any?

My personal brush with a tarantula hawk was when my idiot dog tried to eat one and damn near gave me a heart attack in the process. There aren't many bugs I'm afraid of, but that's one of em.

Edit:

They have no known predators.

My god, can nothing stop them?
Realtalk though, I wonder if their highly specific reproductive method serves as a natural population limiter. Assuming each larva receives its own tarantula, a female tarantula hawk wasp is putting an enormous amount of risk and energy into each egg. I'm very curious how many eggs a single wasp produces.

 

[Wolfram1]

A very low number i am betting, not to forget all the ones that somehow dont manage to paralise the spiders correctly, its a very, very precise operation after all.

A friend of mine is breeding Ampulex compressa, the jewel wasp, and quite a high percentage don't manage to paralise the roaches correctly or fail in some other way.

 

[Gnarled Gnome]

Solitary wasps are often obligate parasites. I think for species like tarantula hawks that require a prey item for each offspring, prey availability is absolutely a population-limiting factor. Many wasps specialize so that they need certain prey. I think for tarantula hawks, the size of the wasp itself necessitates larger prey for the young. I dont know of other invertebrates with the body mass and availability to serve the same function.

 

[Gnarled Gnome]

A friend of mine is breeding Ampulex compressa, the jewel wasp, and quite a high percentage don't manage to paralise the roaches correctly or fail in some other way.

This sounds interesting! They are a really pretty species but quite small for keeping. What species of roach is your friend using? I'd like to see the setup. Are you able to post more info and pictures?

 

[squidkid]

just saw one while scoping out some T habitat, gave me the heebie geebies

 

[Wolfram1]

This sounds interesting! They are a really pretty species but quite small for keeping. What species of roach is your friend using? I'd like to see the setup. Are you able to post more info and pictures?

He breeds multible different types of roaches but i think it seems to work best with Periplaneta americana. Both his normal and entirely black strain.

They are however prone to infest your house if you are not careful and have a good setup.

We are kinda off topic here, maybe i will snap some pics when i get the chance next time and make a new thread. I would really like to see if someone knows more about the ones praying on birdspiders though.

 

[Gogyeng]

Solitary wasps are often obligate parasites. I think for species like tarantula hawks that require a prey item for each offspring, prey availability is absolutely a population-limiting factor. Many wasps specialize so that they need certain prey. I think for tarantula hawks, the size of the wasp itself necessitates larger prey for the young. I dont know of other invertebrates with the body mass and availability to serve the same function.

WAIT, are not scorpions and giant centipedes also likely candidates?

 

[Gogyeng]

Does Socotra have any?

My personal brush with a tarantula hawk was when my idiot dog tried to eat one and damn near gave me a heart attack in the process. There aren't many bugs I'm afraid of, but that's one of em.

Edit:

My god, can nothing stop them?
Realtalk though, I wonder if their highly specific reproductive method serves as a natural population limiter. Assuming each larva receives its own tarantula, a female tarantula hawk wasp is putting an enormous amount of risk and energy into each egg. I'm very curious how many eggs a single wasp produces.

Yes , from genus mycrophadnus, extending from most middle east / southern iran and yemen
https://www.researchgate.net/public...una_Hymenoptera_Pompilidae_from_Southern_Iran

and more generally
https://www.biotaxa.org/AEMNP/article/view/35049

Not sure any of those targets Monocentropus directly

 

[Gogyeng]

Does Socotra have any?

My personal brush with a tarantula hawk was when my idiot dog tried to eat one and damn near gave me a heart attack in the process. There aren't many bugs I'm afraid of, but that's one of em.

Edit:

My god, can nothing stop them?
Realtalk though, I wonder if their highly specific reproductive method serves as a natural population limiter. Assuming each larva receives its own tarantula, a female tarantula hawk wasp is putting an enormous amount of risk and energy into each egg. I'm very curious how many eggs a single wasp produces.

--- =,0

Also would be interesting if Monocentropus sharing burrows - quasi-communalism may be due to seasonal spider-wasp response to attacks.

Adaptation: 'Seek cover, spider wasps have been spotted. Big question mark floating on Monocentropus scout !' All for One and One for all, we can get them all ! - ehem ehem proving this would probably grant you a big paper in Nature, and solved life as a scientist - EHEM - training Monocentropus to fight off spider-wasps in captivity is considered cheating though...

Note: Defense mechanisms as an adaptation to european honey bees against Japanese hornets?

https://www.researchgate.net/public...havior_Defensive_balling_by_European_honeybee

 

[Cavedweller]

On the subject of parasitic wasps, I've somehow never thought to share this clip with AB (and hope it's not already old news over here)

We are kinda off topic here, maybe i will snap some pics when i get the chance next time and make a new thread. I would really like to see if someone knows more about the ones praying on birdspiders though.

Yes, please do!

Also would be interesting if Monocentropus sharing burrows - quasi-communalism may be due to seasonal spider-wasp response to attacks.

Adaptation: 'Seek cover, spider wasps have been spotted. Big question mark floating on Monocentropus scout !' All for One and One for all, we can get them all ! - ehem ehem proving this would probably grant you a big paper in Nature, and solved life as a scientist - EHEM - training Monocentropus to fight off spider-wasps in captivity is considered cheating though...

Note: Defense mechanisms as an adaptation to european honey bees against Japanese hornets?

https://www.researchgate.net/public...havior_Defensive_balling_by_European_honeybee

I always assumed the M. balfouri's willingness to share burrows was a consequence of limited territory, what with living on a small island. It's sure hard to imagine spiders employing bee-level teamwork!

 

[Gogyeng]

Yes, of course. And parasitic wasps are mostly if not exclussively diurnal. Good luck into finding Monocentropus out scouting under the blazing sun..

 

[squidkid]

wasps as a whole are my least favorite arthropods. i also hate parasitic nematodes

 

[Gnarled Gnome]

WAIT, are not scorpions and giant centipedes also likely candidates?

I dont know. I've never heard of them being hosts for wasp larva. I expect centipedes would be hard to find and catch due to speed and habitat. Scorpion armor might be enough to stop the sting or ovipositor. Maybe not, I've just never heard of it.

 

[Gogyeng]

The Indian pompilid wasp Salius sycophanta specializes in Solifugae - wind scorpions / camel spiders, so not sure a carapace stops them

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...CAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Salius sycophanta&f=false

http://britishspiders.org.uk/bulletin/040201.pdf

 

[Wolfram1]

scorpions arent ony armored though, they also have pincers, which in my opinion are some of the most fearsome and versitale tools an arthropod could have. Certainly much harder to deal with for a wasp and thats ignoring the stinger whichto be fair probably wouldnt be all that useful against them

i would love to know if there is a wasp that parasitises scorpions and if so how

 

[Gogyeng]

Wolfram, I do agree with you in every point, and this topic was brought vaguely before on another thread.

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/co...mperor-scorpion-as-it-does-tarantulas.263094/

It deserves more specific attention IMO.
SO: I am starting another thread on the Scorpion topic here, Please see:

% Check strategies by reduviidae (hemiptera) preying on scorpions
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/scorpion-predation-by-arthropoda.321605/