Friday, January 6, 2012

Amazing Creature: Tarantula Hawk

A tarantula hawk is tarantula's worst nightmare. It's a spider wasp which hunts tarantulas as food for its larvae. Tarantula hawks belong to any of the many species in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis in the family Pompilidae (spider wasps).

tarantula hawk, pepsis wasp
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The more familiar species length are up to five centimeters with a blue-black body and bright rust-colored wings (other species have black wings with blue highlights). They are among the largest of wasps.

tarantula hawk, pepsis wasp
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The color of their wings warns potential predators that they are dangerous. Their long legs have hooked claws for grappling with their preys. The stinger of a female tarantula hawk can reach to 7 mm long, and the sting is considered among the most painful insect stings in the world.

tarantula hawk, pepsis wasp
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Tarantula hawk's distribution includes areas from India to Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas.

tarantula hawk, pepsis wasp
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tarantula hawk, pepsis wasp
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Here are videos of tarantula hawk attacks tarantula



Article Source: Wikipedia

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