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Wildlife Spotting

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Field Notes

Description:

This tiny spider had a worm firmly attached to its back. Even when I gently touched the spider with a dry branch, to see if it was alive (and it was), the worm didn't move at all. Last photo shows the actual size of spider and worm.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (11)
Mark Ridgway
Incredible! Glad I found this one. Great spotting.
Sergio Monteiro
Chun, thank you very much for sharing this amazing video. Toshimi, thank you too.
ChunXingWong
These parasitic wasps seem to prey on web-building spiders only for some reason. I do not know whether they choose specific species. It is possible that the wasp has chosen this unlucky victim because it is the largest web-building spider in that area, after all Araneidae spiders are one of the largest web-building spiders. Theridiidae (smaller spiders) and Nephila (larger spiders) have also been recorded infected by wasp grubs too. Other than wasp, young mantidflies are known to board on spiders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_aHOnyXIOI&feature=related
Sergio Monteiro
Chun, I thought that the larva was too large for such a small spider. Could it be that the wasp preys on larger spiders, but preyed this one for lack of these? Do you think it is possible, or the wasps attack only specific species?
ChunXingWong
Seems like a parasitic wasp larva. This parasite is far larger than all the ones I have spotted before. They do not kill the spiders that easily, they want to have a fresh living meal everyday.
Juan DiTrani
Wow, poor spider... I have seen a couple of times parasited spiders like this, and is always very impressive!

Spotted for Missions

Mission
International Spider Survey
Mission
Spiders from Parana, Brazil / Aranhas do Parana
Mission
Arthropods parasitised by other arthropods
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 7, 2012

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