spider wasp
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What is a spider wasp?
Spider wasps are parasitoid wasps that belong to the family Pompilidae, with roughly 5,000 species worldwide. They are generally not considered economically destructive, even though they prey on spiders that are helpful to humans.
These wasps are known for paralyzing spiders to feed to their larval young. The size of spider wasps varies, but some can exceed 5 cm (2 inches) in length. They typically have slender, dark-colored bodies and may have smoky or yellowish wings. Their legs are long and spiny, allowing them to run quickly. They are also known to inflict a very painful sting.
Tarantula hawks are among the best-known spider wasps. They have steel-blue bodies and orange wings. They are common in the southwestern United States and provision their nests with trap-door spiders and tarantulas, often attacking spiders much larger than themselves.
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Where do spider wasps live?
Spider wasps are found throughout most of the world. There are about 40 species in Great Britain, and over 300 in North America. Adult spider wasps are commonly found on flowers and on the ground, or hovering just above it, searching for prey.
Spider wasps build nests, or cells, in different places, such as in soil, rotten wood, or among rocks. Some species, like those of the North American genus Pseudagenia, create mud cells under bark or among stones.
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What do spider wasps eat?
Spider wasps are parasitoid wasps that feed their larval young by paralyzing spiders. Adult spider wasps eat nectar and pollen, which they get from flowers. They are commonly found on flowers or hovering above the ground in search of prey. The spider wasp will sting and paralyze the spider, and then place its egg on the spider. When the egg hatches, the wasp larva eats the still-living spider.
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How does a spider wasp capture its prey?
Spider wasps are parasitoid wasps that capture and paralyze spiders to feed their larvae. There is variation in how spider wasps sting their prey. For example, Cryptocheilus stings the spider between its poison fangs and again near the junction of the cephalothorax and abdomen for complete immobility. Pompilus, on the other hand, sometimes kills the spider, but other times the spider may survive for a few weeks.
Tarantula hawks, a type of spider wasp, hunt large spiders such as trap-door spiders or tarantulas. The wasp will lure a spider from its burrow by mimicking captured prey by tapping her feet on the webbing outside the spider’s lair to entice it to exit. Once the spider is in the open, the wasp injects venom into the nerve ganglia on the underside of the spider’s thorax, which paralyzes the spider.
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What is unique about the way spider wasps lay their eggs?
Spider wasps are parasitoid wasps that lay their eggs on spiders to feed their larval young. After mating, the female spider wasp hunts for large spiders, such as trap-door spiders or tarantulas. The wasp injects venom into the spider's nerve ganglia, paralyzing it but not killing it. The wasp drags the spider to a burrow, deposits a single egg on the spider's body, and seals the entrance. When the egg hatches, the wasp larva feeds on the still-living spider, eventually killing it during its fifth growth stage. The immature wasp then forms a cocoon and emerges as an adult.
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How do spider wasps help control spider populations in nature?
Spider wasps are parasitoid wasps that play a role in controlling spider populations. They paralyze spiders to feed their larvae. After mating, the female spider wasp hunts for large spiders such as tarantulas, and lures them out of their burrows.
The wasp injects venom into the spider's nerve ganglia, paralyzing it. The wasp drags the spider to a prepared burrow, lays an egg on the spider's body, and seals the entrance. The wasp larva consumes the still-living spider, eventually killing it. Though spider wasps prey on spiders that may be helpful to humans, they are not considered economically destructive.
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spider wasp, (family Pompilidae), any of about 5,000 species of large, parasitoid wasps that paralyze spiders to feed their larval young. They are distributed throughout most of the world. About 40 species occur in Great Britain, and more than 300 species are found in North America. Although they prey on spiders helpful to humans, the wasps are not regarded as economically destructive.
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
See also list of ants, bees, and wasps.
The spider wasps include the largest members of the order; some exceed 5 cm (2 inches) in length. Most are 1.0 to 2.5 cm (0.4 to 1 inch) long. The slender body is usually dark; in many cases the wings are smoky or yellowish. Most can run rapidly on legs that are long and spiny. They inflict a very painful sting.
There is apparently much variation in the method of stinging prey. The method of Cryptocheilus is a refined process during which the wasp first stings the spider between its poison fangs and then stings it again near the junction of the cephalothorax and abdomen. This produces complete immobility. Pompilus, on the other hand, has a less refined sting. It sometimes kills the spider; in other cases, the spider may survive for a few weeks.
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Spiders captured and paralyzed by the sting of the spider wasp are fed to the young. (Certain wasps other than pompilids also capture spiders for this purpose.) Adult spider wasps are commonly found on flowers and either on the ground or hovering above it in search of prey. The nest, or cell, is made in soil, on rotten wood, or among rocks. Species of the North American genus Pseudagenia construct cells of mud under bark or among stones. Some species construct the nest before capturing the spider; others capture the spider first, then set it aside until the nest is completed. A single spider and a single egg are placed in the nest. The spider, alive but paralyzed, is eaten by the wasp larva.
Anoplius fuscus, a European species, captures spiders of five different families. Larvae of the European genus Homonotus live on the body of a spider that remains active in its normal habitat until it is gradually killed by the feeding larva.
Methods of carrying the paralyzed spider to the nest vary. Pompilus plumbeus, found in North America and Europe, carries its prey before it. Others carry the prey sideways or drag it behind. Anoplius depressipes, which captures swamp spiders (Dolomedes), drags its prey across the water. Some spider wasps fly with their prey.
Among the best-known spider wasps are the tarantula hawks (Pepsis), steel-blue-bodied insects with orange wings; some of the largest members of the family belong to this genus. Especially common in the southwestern United States, they provision their nests with trap-door spiders and tarantulas and often attack spiders many times their own size.
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