The Tantalizing Tarantula Hawk Wasp
Tarantula hawk wasps are a group of over 400 wasp species distributed between the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis. The genus Pepsis is found only in North and South America, while Hemipepsis is found throughout sub-saharan Africa, south and southeast Asia, and Australia, as well as the Americas. They are restricted to warmer climates, although some species are more tolerant of arid environments such deserts while others live only in areas with regular rainfall.
Tarantula hawk wasps are some of the largest wasps in the world, with some species reaching up to 11 cm (4 in) in length, although most are closer to 6.5 cm (2.5 in). Adults are generally are dark iridescent blue or black with orange wings, although some species are entirely black.
Despite their fearsome reputation, tarantula hawks actually feed primarily on nectar, especially that of milkweeds, western soapberry trees, and mesquite trees. Thanks to their painful sting, they have few natural predators- although some larger species of frog, such as American bullfrogs, as well as roadrunners, are known to hunt them.
Tarantula hawks are named for their habit of parasitizing tarantulas as a part of their reproductive cycle. First, males establish a temporary territory and wait for a female to come near enough to court. When they are ready to lay their eggs the females will seek out a tarantula, paralyze it with their sting, and bring it back to a burrow where they leg a single egg in the tarantula's abdomen. Fertilized eggs develop into females, while unfertilized eggs produce males. After the eggs hatch, they devour the tarantula from the inside out. After several weeks, the larvae pupates and emerges as a fully mature adult.
Conservation status: No species of tarantula hawk is considered Endangered. However, some species may be vulnerable to habitat loss or the decline of the tarantula species in which they lay their eggs.
