Japanese Spider Wasp

[keeyk118b]

that looks like a sac spider.

[LeDerpinandWinning]

i have those in the deck of my pool never ever swimming again

[Jorgeneto59]

this is not  japanese giant hornet wasp

[MrAshToast]

Your videos are just so intriguing! :)

[Npeo]

Oh I've seen these wasps before. In California, they aren't too common, but we call them "Tarantula Hawk Wasps". These wasps show little to no aggression towards humans, but will sting if they feel threatened. The sting is to be said as "a 9 out of 10 of pain" but really don't have a large record of stings. This video is interesting though. Thank you!

-Andrew

[Angus666Young]

Wait, wait, wait, so these things paralyze a spider, then seal it underground after laying eggs in it's still living but immobile body and the eggs hatch and slowly eat the spider alive? That's fucking hardcore!

[jacktrooper602]

are these wasps aggressive to humans like the other species? or will they just pass on by?

-jack :)

[softypapa]

Hello Jack,

I encounter these wasps often and am always poking my face closely in order to get a good look. So far the insects have taken little or no notice of me and seem utterly unconcerned by my presence. I do not know however how they might react if they felt threatened. -Kurt :-)

[6663000]

That's an awesome video, did you have to wait a long time to get that shot?

I have heard of these spider wasps before and the whole process seems very disgusting :)

[softypapa]

Hello 6663000, Emily found this wasp while she and I were strolling through a forest near our home. We followed the wasp for a few minutes as it flit from one leaf to the next (carrying the spider). When it finally settled down (for a rest perhaps?) we managed to get a minute of so of video before it took off again with its unhappy burden. -Kurt :-)

[tbone1143]

Very interesting Kurt. Thanks for sharing..

Doug :o)

[Luminasita]

It looks so much like a queen ant, doesn't it? Quite impressive! I wonder what their nests look like.

~Kat

[softypapa]

Hello Kat, Your comment is very observant as wasps and ants are in fact close cousins (wasps came first) belonging to the order Hymenoptera.

As to shelter: all 4000+ species of spider wasps are solitary and though I do not know what type of shelter they use/make it is likely small in size. The holes they dig are used for storing prey and young though I'm wondering if the wasps will also weather the night in holes which do not yet have a spider visiting for dinner. -Kurt :-)

[Jomon1976]

Last summer I was in Aomori on an archaeological dig and watched one of these wasps trying to drag a spider three times its size out of the excavation area. It was fascinating. On an interesting note, whenever another insect came near (like an ant) the wasp would run over and bite the intruding insect's head off. It never did get the spider out, the walls were too steep and the spider to big to carry in flight.

[softypapa]

Hello Jomon1976, Your archaelogical dig sounds very interesting and how wonderful that you had a good wasp/spider sighting! I did not know that the wasps could be so aggressive towards other insects which intrude upon their work. I will watch closely the next time I see such an event and try to film it! -Kurt :-)

[murasakiryu]

Incredible!

[BusanKevin]

Wow! I read the writeup about what the wasp does to the poor spider....sounds like something out of an incredibly frightening horror movie! Poor spider!

[softypapa]

Yes, it's amazing (and a bit terrifying) to think that this spider is still alive and facing such a gruesome fate. I see various wasps from this species from time-to-time carrying all manner of spider (even the giant Huntsman!) and it gives me cause to think about the hazardous life of a spider in the mountains of Japan (and elsewhere where spider wasps prowl). Kurt :-)