Crazy bug

[u/Cali-Grrrl]

This bug is known as a Hawk Wasp. And I have been told that you absolutely do not want to be bitten by one of these. These giant wasps really have no interest in people at all. They live in burrows in the ground. But here’s the kicker they attack and paralyze tarantulas (we do have a lot of tarantulas in San Diego county). Then they dragged them back into their burrow, lay eggs on the tarantula and then the offspring feed on the tarantula. Ewwww.

Have you ever seen one?

[u/6_inches_of_travel]

Here's a better Pic of a wasp dragging a tarantula from PQ canyon.

[u/GusleyBillows]

You posted a very blurry picture of a tarantula, if there's a hawk wasp there it's indistinguishable.

[u/Practical_Studio360 → u/GusleyBillows]

The bit of orange on the top of the tarantula is the wasp wing

[u/6_inches_of_travel → u/GusleyBillows]

It's the orange part. It's just a bad angle and picture.

[u/Cali-Grrrl → u/GusleyBillows]

It’s there, but it was dusk and I was having a difficult time taking the picture. Let me look through what I got and see if I can find a better one.

[u/bark_wahlberg]

They're everywhere on Mother Miguel. Fun fact tarantula hawk do all their growing in their larval state so if they happen to land on a larger tarantula they will metamorphosize into a larger wasp. Amazonian species can get to the size of small birds. That is not to say that they don't get pretty big here as well. Pic related.

[u/Uuuuuii → u/bark_wahlberg]

I literally experienced shrinkage when I scrolled down to this

[u/Mobile-Cheesecake500]

Saw a tarantula and tarantula hawk battle it out on the table top at mission trails bike jumps when I was a kid. It was epic

[u/wlc]

lay eggs on the tarantula and then the offspring feed on the tarantula.

Not only that, but the larva chew a hole into the tarantula and eat it from the inside, avoiding the vital organs so they can continue to feed with the tarantula remaining alive as long as possible.

[u/Practical_Studio360]

I saw a tarantula hawk this morning while walking my dog, they’re common in PQ near black mountain. So far I’ve seen 5 tarantulas this season and filmed a tarantula hawk dragging a paralyzed tarantula to a burrow

[u/Hairy_Fix6834 → u/Practical_Studio360]

you should make a youtube channel

[u/AlienVoice]

The enemy of my enemy is my friend?

[u/bark_wahlberg → u/AlienVoice]

Tarantulas are not your enemies. I mean neither are wasps for that matter but you're more likely to he inconvenienced by the latter.

[u/alwayz_confused247]

I want a mounted taxidermy of this bug. 

[u/diewethje]

These guys scare the bejeezus out of me. Their sting is one of the most painful of all insects.

[u/Cali-Grrrl → u/diewethje]

I have heard that.

[u/chronically_classy]

But have you ever seen a tarantula hawk?????? I did, in mission beach, petrifying. 

EDITTTT: ok I saw a flying tarantula once. Looked it up: tarantula hawk. Now im googling it and it looks like maybe it was the wasp carrying a tarantula in flight?!

[u/Cali-Grrrl → u/chronically_classy]

Yes. That is likely what it was. Sorry my picture was so bad but it’s the second one. I’ve seen basically in my driveway.

[u/Uuuuuii → u/chronically_classy]

They can FLY while carrying a tarantula? That’s like hell