Strange looking wasp.

[Jaden]

I seen a strange looking wasp in my yard yesterday. It's all black with a very slender rump. I know that doesn't make it strange. What did was that it was carring a Huntsman spider along the ground. It sort of reminded me of the wasps that hunt tarantulas. I've never seen it before around here and was wondering if anyone eles here in Indiana has seen these same wasps. If so do you know what they are? This way I can look them up and learn about them.

 

[David_F]

Sounds like a mud dauber (Family: Sphecidae). Solitary wasps that hunt spiders and insects that are used as food for larvae.

 

[nomad85]

yea I think it sounds like a mud dauber as well, I used to find them fairly often.

 

[Malkavian]

Wow, we get mud daubers all over the places here in NC, never realized they were predatory.

 

[Wade]

Stickly speaking, the adults aren't. I believe they feed on nectar. However, if you ever break open the clay mounds (or tubes, if it's the organ pipe wasp) you'll find them stuffed with spiders for the larvae.

Wade