Ever wonder why they are called tarantula wasps?

[2Driver]

LOL Heading home with some take-out, this guy was in a hurry crossing the driveway

 

[Nacibound]

Tarantula Hawk; I guess the sting from one of those guys is insanely painful.

 

[2Driver]

Tarantula Hawk; I guess the sting from one of those guys is insanely painful.

Now you tell me

 

[OC Mike]

Maybe it's a 'Good Guy.'

Tarantula hawk - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[monkeyswrench]

Looks like you were both headed home with take-out.
I've only seen them with smaller tarantulas around here, and seen them fly with them! Though to myself I'd probably shit myself if one dropped on me

 

[monkeyswrench]

Maybe it's a 'Good Guy.'

Tarantula hawk - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Holy crap! I didn't realize they were like "Alien vs Predator"...

 

[Ultra...Good]

They only inject enough venom to paralyze the spider, not kill it.

Then they lay eggs on the spider and the larva feeds off the spider.

 

[Livewire Fabworks]

The sting from these guys is no joke. I got the wrong end of one of them a couple of years ago. Wasn't as bad as I have heard but it got my attention. Felt like an electric shock.

 

[boatnam2]

There used to be quite a few of them in parker, not that many now, always along shoreline so I would have to keep eye on dog from getting hit by one.

 

[Taboma]

Badass nasty for sure, but alas, the mighty Roadrunner will dine on them with apparent immunity to their powerful sting.

 

[boatnam2]

Badass nasty for sure, but alas, the mighty Roadrunner will dine on them with apparent immunity to their powerful sting.

Not many that rival the ole beep beep!

 

[Livewire Fabworks]

There used to be quite a few of them in parker, not that many now, always along shoreline so I would have to keep eye on dog from getting hit by one.

Parker is where I got hit. Used to have a place in Rio Del Colorado as was down on the beach in the afternoon.

 

[2Driver]

They only inject enough venom to paralyze the spider, not kill it.

Then they lay eggs on the spider and the larva feeds off the spider.

I think Im going to hurl.

 

[OCMerrill]

We have them all over the shore at Emerald during the warmer months. I don't screw with them as they have Photographic Memory of what you look like and hold the image a week or more.

Two + inches long it seems. Interestingly enough on the beach they are very prominent however I have had them 6" from my foot and they dont give a shit unless you start fucking around. Then you find out. I think the easiest way to get stung is by inadvertently step on one.

 

[NicPaus]

Have not seen that many lately. Same goes for the tarantulas. Forgot what season it is. But usually a few weeks to a month the tarantulas are all over here.

 

[HCP3]

They only inject enough venom to paralyze the spider, not kill it.

Then they lay eggs on the spider and the larva feeds off the spider.

WTF?!

 

[TPC]

Have not seen that many lately. Same goes for the tarantulas. Forgot what season it is. But usually a few weeks to a month the tarantulas are all over here.

Seas of them crossing the Desert some days in Spangler.
They are the same color and size of the ground cover weeds.
Hard to notice.
Birds eat them too.