Wasp and Tarantula

[Harold_L]

The tarantula lost this fight, and is being dragged off, alive but paralysed, to the hole that is home to this large "Tarantula hawk" wasp. Photographed at the Pecos National Monument in New Mexico. Canon S500. My Insect Guide Book says that this is the largest species of wasp in the US, with the most painful sting of any insect.

Harold

[danccooke]

not somthing you see every day is it the insect taking on the spider. I believe it young will slowly eat the spider while it lies there alive but paralysed.
Don't fancy getting stung by one of those little **censored**

[fc3s89]

Wow, that's a big wasp. Too bad the photo isn't quite sharp.
You should have stuck on the macro rings and got down there with those guys to really capture the drama of the moment. Don't worry about the "most painful sting" bit. Think of the photo you could have taken! Where's the devotion? ;)

[Harold_L]

You're right - caution before devotion. I was so far away, I really cropped this picture to bring ut the wasp.

Harold

[RockOne]

Many years ago, in the early nineties, before I owned a camera, I observed a very similar thing here in Australia, where a large orange and black wasp dragged a large tradpdoor spider for at least 100 metres, before disappearing under a fence. Must take alot of strength and stamina to do that !. Great shot.