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Tarantula Hawk Wasp

Pepsis sp.

Photo by MikeGrageda
Published on Project Noah
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21.7774, -100.877

Field Notes

Description:

Some kind of wasp with orange wings

Habitat:

I found it in a desert environment

Species ID Suggestions

Tarantula hawk wasp

Pepsis sp.

Reference Link
LauraMaria
2

Comments (3)
MikeGrageda
Oh! Cool! A Trantula Hawk Wasp!!! Thanks a lot LauraMaria, I've heard about them before but I didn't know it was one of them. Thanks also for the guide, I'll try to figure out what species it is. Greetings!!!
LauraMaria
I've given you a link to BugGuide.net, you can use them to see exactly what species you get in your area, but the genus is Pepsis :) And again, GREAT spot, and a fabulous photo!
LauraMaria
Oh wow! It looks like a tarantula hawk wasp (though there could be other wasps in the desert with a similar colouration that I don't know of!). The female fights a tarantula, paralyses it with her stinger, then lays the eggs on it. The babies then eat the still-alive tarantula! Excellent spot
Photographed
PublishedDecember 13, 2011

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