Found stunned tarantula outside

[Carolyn LeBlanc]

Hi, I am new to this site but need some help please. I live in north Phoenix, and yesterday we found a tarantula on a boulder laying on its back. It doesn't seem to be dead (ie it is still soft, and some very minor reflex to touch). I hid it under some grasses to see if it would recover, but this morning it is still there, in the same condition. The body is not at all rigid, and still seems to have a small amount of reflex. I don't know if it as preparing to hibernate but got waylaid, or if it was stunned by a pepsis wasp and a larva laid in him/her (we have tons of these wasps around here). I brought him/her inside and have him in a dark place, but I would like to help if I can. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[KezyGLA]

It has most likely fallen victim to the wasps, parasites or poisoning.

 

[darkness975]

My money is on the Pepsis wasp

They usually don't leave the victim out though, they drag it to the burrow, so I have to wonder what interrupted the wasp to where it was not able to finish the job. Maybe the wasp itself got eaten by something. Still does not explain why the tarantula was left on a boulder so exposed in the open.

Nevertheless, based on the behavior and what not, I would say the Pepsis wasp is the cause.

 

[Ungoliant]

I brought him/her inside and have him in a dark place, but I would like to help if I can. Anyone have any ideas?

I have heard a few stories of tarantulas recovering from wasp stings, but it can take months.

 

[The Snark]

They usually don't leave the victim out though, they drag it to the burrow, so I have to wonder what interrupted the wasp to where it was not able to finish the job. Maybe the wasp itself got eaten by something. Still does not explain why the tarantula was left on a boulder so exposed in the open.

Not at all uncommon for a wasp to 'sting more than it can handle'. Immature T hawks do this a lot. Bang it then discover they can't move it.

 

[darkness975]

Not at all uncommon for a wasp to 'sting more than it can handle'. Immature T hawks do this a lot. Bang it then discover they can't move it.

Seems like immature specimens waste resources!

 

[The Snark]

This is something that maybe our entomologists can input on.

I observed a T hawk wrestling with a T right outside the cabin door around noon. Come about mid afternoon it had managed to move the T about 3 feet. Late afternoon I went to feed the horses and the T had been moved away from in front of the door so about 5 feet. I watched for around a half hour with the hawk making no further progress. Then a few minutes later, sundown and the hawk gave up. The T was there the next morning but the hawk never returned.

So do the T hawks operate on a day/night schedule and at shift change hang it up if it isn't in the burrow by that time? Also, that hawk was obviously burning a lot of calories, even using it's wings to help get the T moving. Is there some sort of built in energy regulator where the hawk will shut down the effort before the loss of energy becomes a hazard-life threatening?

 

[Crone Returns]

Hi, I am new to this site but need some help please. I live in north Phoenix, and yesterday we found a tarantula on a boulder laying on its back. It doesn't seem to be dead (ie it is still soft, and some very minor reflex to touch). I hid it under some grasses to see if it would recover, but this morning it is still there, in the same condition. The body is not at all rigid, and still seems to have a small amount of reflex. I don't know if it as preparing to hibernate but got waylaid, or if it was stunned by a pepsis wasp and a larva laid in him/her (we have tons of these wasps around here). I brought him/her inside and have him in a dark place, but I would like to help if I can. Anyone have any ideas?

BTW that's an Aphonopelma chalcodes aka Arizona Blond.

 

[Dreadz]

Yeah id say it has most likely became victim to the T hawk. I would bring it inside and put it in a setup and see if it recovers at all. Probably would take a while though if it does.