Tarantula Hawk

[GQ.]

I know they are tarantula killers, but aren't they still cool! This Pepsis was spotted while walking around an area with several tarantula burrows.

 

[Mister Internet]

About how large was the one you photographed?

 

[GQ.]

That piece of curled up bark this one was sitting on was almost exactly 2 inches long. I'd say this wasp was right around 1.75 inches from the tip of his head to the bottom of his wings. This was definitely the largest one I had seen in the area. The others I have seen in the area ranged in size from 1 inch to this 1.75 inch monster. The wasps only grow while they are larvae feeding inside the tarantula host. This means the wasp's ultimate size depends on the size of the tarntula prey that they are in while larvae. This also means the wasps size is directly proportional to the size of the tarantula the egg was laid in. The largest tarantula hawks are those that feed on the largest tarantula species. I don't know exact sizes, but the wasp that parasitizes the Goliath Birdeater is probably the largest from what I have read. I have never seen one of those wasps alive or dead so I don't have any first hand knowledge of them.

 

[Alex S.]

Pepsis heros

Pepsis heros (South American giant pompilid), is the largest species of wasp known at nearly 3" in body length and nearly a 6.5" wingspan. Although some species of giant mammoth wasp (Scoliidae) are quite close at 2.5". Wasps are absolutely fascinating insects.

Alex S.

 

[GQ.]

Great info Alex. I was helping my father-in-law transport some huge Koi from his leaking pond into a spa the other day. (The spa was a temporary pond while the leaking pond was fixed.) While standing next to the spa I noticed a metallic blue wasp near the base of the spa. I don't know what kind of wasp it was. It was less than an inch long. I watched as it teased a spider web with its first legs. Soon a widow spider (brown widow maybe?) ran out and the wasp pounced on him. Neatest thing I had seen in a long time. I ran inside to get the digital cam for a picture. Of course it flew away with the spider just before I snapped the picture!

 

[Alex S.]

Pompilid Wasps

Hey GQ, thanks. Yeah, it is amazing watching wasps take on spiders, you really got to give them credit. If you really think about it wasps are definetely at the top of the insect/arachnid food chain. To bad you didnt get the shots, Im sure they would have been great!

Alex S.

 

[Wade]

GQ-

The wasp you saw that actually grabbed the spider was probably a mud dauber. They build chambers of mud and pack them with paralized spiders and lay an egg in there.

I'm currently trying to rehabilitate an A. chalcodes that was stung by a pepsis. She seems to be slowly coming around.

Wade

 

[GQ.]

Wade,

Keep us updated on the A. chalcodes rehabilitation. Sounds interesting. Supposedly the Pepsis wasp is the most painful insect sting there is. I would hate to find that out the hard way!

 

[Alex S.]

Pepsis Sting

GQ, yeah pompilid stings are definetely bad news, the sting of the giant Pepsis heros is actually considered somewhat dangerous. Not only that, the sting itself is huge.

Alex S.

 

[The_Phantom]

ITS EVIL SQUISH IT !!!

 

[Valael]

I can't say I've ever been too fond of wasps either. They kill my pets! I actually busted one of the mud-nest-thingies open the other day and it was PACKED full of spiders. Orb Weavers, wolf spiders, and even one that appeared to be a brown recluse -- no sign of eggs or wasps, though.


I don't really kill them off though, I'm too much of a nature freak for that....Unless they make a nest outside of my door.

 

[johns]

Originally posted by Spider_savior
ITS EVIL SQUISH IT !!!

Unless it's captive, you can't fault a pepsis for what it does... ;P

 

[Alex S.]

Hey, just because pompilids prey on spiders doesnt mean they dont get killed and eaten by other arachnids in return, as scorpions, solifugids (sunspiders), and large amblypygids (tailless whipscorpions) probably rip wasps to shreds quite often.

Alex S.

 

[The_Phantom]

Ok, ITS HIDEOUS !!! SQUISH IT !!!

Is it just me, or does that waspy thingy in the picture look like its plastic ???? Im not saying it is, it just looks it !

 

[GQ.]

Originally posted by Spider_savior
Ok, ITS HIDEOUS !!! SQUISH IT !!!

Is it just me, or does that waspy thingy in the picture look like its plastic ???? Im not saying it is, it just looks it !

Lame. What happened to ".......saving the underdog, and educating the masses...."?
It is absolutely real and fantastic.

 

[The_Phantom]

JEEEEEEEEZ (capitals oh no !!) I was kidding.......I love insects ! But Im still not crazy about GIANT KILLER WASPS (more capitals !! I aughto be banned !!!)

Kidding, Joking, ha ha...! :? ;P

 

[johns]

I declare, Saviour- if I didn't no know betta- I'd swar you you was makin' fun ah me.

Occasionally, to imply emphasis, CAPITAL LETTERS ARE OK.. That's what we havebold ,italics ,and underlining for, though...

OK?

 

[The_Phantom]

Thanks Johns. ME ?? Making fun of YOU ???? Heck no !

Heres me:
YOu cant really see it, its a halo.

 

[johns]

... I'll bet there's a pitchfork under your wings, SS!

 

[atavuss]

several weeks ago a few of us went tarantula hunting near Fresno, CA. we had seen four or five large pepsis wasps flying around and managed to catch one. when we were leaving there was another wasp flying around so we followed it and it landed next to a large weed, Mike "Troll" somehow managed to catch the wasp in a 40 dram pill bottle. we started looking around the weed and found a 3" or so aphonopelma sp. tarantula that it had obviously stung and paralyzed earlier and had come back to retrieve it........very fascinating to see the wasps in action! I don't know the status of the stung t, when I get an update I will add to this post.
Ed