Tarantula Hawk Wasps

Tarantula hawk wasp

Deserving of the utmost respect, this large wasp packs the largest punch you can find in North America! At 2 1/2" inches long, this wasp travels the grounds looking for large sources of nourishment for her future offspring.

If the female locates a tarantulas web, she will stroke the web to entice the spider out of its burrow. At this point, the wasp will sting the spider, paralyzing it. Then the wasp will drag the spider back into its burrow, where she lays her eggs on the spiders body, creating a source of food for her future hatched eggs.

Not only are these wasps deadly to tarantulas, they produce the most painful insect sting recorded in North America. If you come across one of these female wasps, do not attempt to interact. Instead, leave the area quietly until she is gone. The sting from one of these wasps can leave a full grown adult screaming and writhing on the ground in pain for several minutes.