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Tarantula Hawk Wasp

Pepsis/Hemipepsis sp.

Photo by The MnMs
Published on Project Noah
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10.3083, -84.8112

Field Notes

Description:

If you see this wasp in the cloud forests of Costa Rica, remeber two big facts:
1) They hunt tarantulas and deposit their eggs on them. The tarantula is not killed but while is alive is being used as food source for the wasp larvae.
2) The sting of this wasp is listed among one of the most painful stings ever experienced by humans.
So, big respect and keep your distance!

Habitat:

Cloud Forest Reserve of Santa Elena, Costa Rica

Reference Links:

Tarantula hawk

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Spotted for Missions

Mission
El mini-mundo de Costa Rica
Mission
Hymenoptera of the world -- bees, ants and all their friends
Mission
Life in Costa Rica

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Photographed
PublishedMay 9, 2014

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