Uploaded May 2013 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
During late summer, female tarantula hawks can be seen stinging, paralyzing, and capturing tarantulas for use in raising their young. Once paralyzed, a live tarantula is dragged and buried in a specially excavated nest where one egg is laid on its abdomen. Once hatched, the wasp larva burrows into the belly of the tarantula to feed, avoiding vital organs to preserve the tarantula. After feeding for some weeks, the larva pupates and later exits the spider's body as an adult and emerges from the nest.
During late summer, female tarantula hawks can be seen stinging, paralyzing, and capturing tarantulas for use in raising their young. Once paralyzed, a live tarantula is dragged and buried in a specially excavated nest where one egg is laid on its abdomen. Once hatched, the wasp larva burrows into the belly of the tarantula to feed, avoiding vital organs to preserve the tarantula. After feeding for some weeks, the larva pupates and later exits the spider's body as an adult and emerges from the nest.
