Tarantula Hawk: a wasp that gets it's name from using the tarantula spider as a food source for it's young. While large and scary looking, they don't bother much with humans, although the sting is reputed to be quite painful. I had never tried to grab one, but have had been in close proximity often and never felt threatened. Keeping with my New Mexico Hall of Fame theme, I should note that they are our state insect.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Magnetic Monday -- Tarantula Hawk
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9 comments:
How big are they/their babies if they eat tarantulas?1?!
I scream if a winged creature buzzes past me. (And I get made fun of for it!)
Ewwwwww!
Sorry to gross you ladies out. I obviously think they are pretty cool. It is damselfly's fault she wanted to know what they were (from a few posts ago.)
@Jen the larvae are small the mom just paralyzes the the tarantula with the wicked stinger that is quite painful. ; ) They are all around my house because they like a tree that is in bloom in the front yard.
I don't mind insects, usually. Not most of them, anyway. But... bees and wasps - they make me squeal and RUN like a little girl!
Don't you have some extra tarantulas hanging around to feed those guys. All good entomologists do.
So when you say large how large?
All I can think is they have to fairly big to take on a tarantula?
That quite painful sting would keep me very far away LOL
I am with Jen I scream LOL
I LOVE it! (The poetry, that is. Not the bug.)
Well after the reactions I won't make the taratula hawk a regular visitor, or maybe any insects unless they are the fluttery butterfly kind. ; )
@malathionman, earlier in the summer the tarantulas were everywhere and then came the hawks. They must be doing a good job, I haven seen a tarantula in 6 weeks.
@shoozles they are about 1 to 2 inches big. The power is in the stinger, it paralyzes the spider.
Seriously...anything that eats spiders is a friend of mine. :)
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