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Learn about the tarantula hawk, a spider wasp that preys on tarantulas and has one of the most painful stings in the world. Find out its description, behavior, distribution, and state insect status.
- Black/purple bodies, red/yellow wings
- Bullfrogs, Roadrunners
- Nectar
- 10 kph (6 mph)
- Their stings are high on the Schmidt Pain Index. Demonstrating the type of masochism you might expect from someone with such a name, Justin Orvel Schmidt devised an incredible catalogue of different insect stings, which he tested upon himself.
- Tarantula hawks evolved for pain. And this pain is no coincidence. Hunting wasps need venom to disable their prey. They paralyse their host, laying eggs into it, which will later hatch and consume the preserved flesh.
- Species share a common message. This message is so well understood, most species of tarantula hawk wasps have evolved to look similar to one another. The red-brown wings, the purple body, and the vivid and contrasting aesthetic all display a clear sign that they’re not to be eaten, even in species that don’t pack quite the same punch as Pepsis grossa.
- They’re docile fruitarians. This might come as some surprise, but tarantula hawk wasps are nectarivores. They enjoy feeding from flowers and rotting fruit.
Learn about the tarantula hawk, a spider wasp that can paralyse and eat tarantulas with its venom. Find out why its sting is one of the most painful in the world and how to avoid it.
Sep 10, 2024 · tarantula hawk, (genus Pepsis), genus of about 130 species of spider wasps that paralyze spiders to feed their larval young. Tarantula hawks are found on every continent except Europe and Antarctica and are especially common in the southwestern United States through Central America.
Sep 4, 2023 · Learn about the tarantula hawk, a large and colorful wasp that hunts and paralyzes tarantulas for its offspring. Discover its life cycle, habitat, hunting techniques, role in the ecosystem, and human interactions.
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Feb 8, 2017 · Learn about the tarantula hawk, a large wasp with a brilliant blue and orange body and a painful sting. Find out how it hunts tarantulas, feeds its larvae, and lives in the deserts of the southwest.
Learn about the Tarantula Hawk, a metallic blue-black wasp that hunts and paralyzes tarantulas for its larvae. Find out where they live, how painful their sting is, and what they eat as adults and larvae.
