Tarantula Hawk - Pepsis sp.

[GQ.]

I was out walking in the rain this morning. I spotted quite a few Tarantula Hawks out as well. They were busy feeding on flowers and seemed oblivious to the drizzle as well as me.

Tarantula hawk - Pepsis sp.

 

[kraken]

NOW that,is one beautiful MONSTER!!!!!

 

[beetleman]

NOW that,is one beautiful MONSTER!!!!!

OH YEAH!!! :drool: :worship:

 

[zinto]

Those guys are pretty numerous around here. However, I've recently seen a couple with blue wings. Any idea what that's all about? (Sorry to hijack your thread!)

 

[GQ.]

zinto,

I'm not sure about the ones with blue wings. I have spotted a few smaller blue wasps with blue or black wings. They were much smaller than these though. Their max size couldn't have been more than an 1.0 inches (2.54cm) long. I think perhaps they are mud dauber wasps? I'm unsure of their common or scientific name. I saw one tease a widow spider out of its web one year. Very neat to see. I'll have to keep my eye out for them next time I'm in Phoenix. The Pepsis sp. wasps like in the photo above are plentiful here as well. I usually spot several any time I'm out.

Here is another photo with my hand next to it for size comparison. This is not trick photography. My hand is the same distance to the camera as the wasp. These wasps are impressive.

 

[Wade]

There's also the genus Hemipepsis, such is similar to Pepsis. The dark winged version (I've seen them too) may be Hemipepsis, I'm not sure. I have, however, found the dark winged type dragging tarantulas accross the road, so they're no mud daubers!

Wade

 

[dtknow]

Very nice! For any plant gurus...is that milkweed the wasp is on? I've noticed tarantula hawks(and for any doubters yes that is the right size) on similar plants and in the area a pair of monarchs were flying around.

 

[GQ.]

There's also the genus Hemipepsis, such is similar to Pepsis. The dark winged version (I've seen them too) may be Hemipepsis, I'm not sure. I have, however, found the dark winged type dragging tarantulas accross the road, so they're no mud daubers!

Wade

Ahh thanks Wade. I'm guessing the blue ones I see around here are not the same thing at all. The ones I see are much too small. Now, I'll be on a mission to see some of the blue winged tarantula hawks every time I'm in Phoenix. I have yet to see a Tarantula Hawk actually with a tarantula. I would love to photograph that someday.

 

[zinto]

Thanks for the help Wade! I really enjoy seeing these guys - very impressive! I went hilltopping a while ago and saw a couple of males competing for the territory. Very awesome creatures. And huge!

 

[zinto]

bugguide.com provides some good photos, but none of the blue-winged ones. There are some dark-winged ones though. They classify all of these as Pepsis though and have no photos for Hemipepsis...

http://bugguide.net/node/view/3920/bgimage?from=0

 

[Thiscordia]

Great Pictures....

 

[iturnrocks]

We dont have tarantulas around here, so this is what we see

 

[Peter_Parker]

Yep, I see that around here too now Saw one on the porch with a wolf spider the other day!

 

[Kasha]

OH MY GOD....I am so thankful I live in Alaska! Those things would having me peeing in my pants if I saw one!