Hunter hunted
This morning, as I was leaving for work, I saw a large spider-hunting wasp, Tachypompilus ignitis hanging around near the gate. I went to get my bike out of the garage and close the doors, which takes 2-3 minutes. As I was about to get on the bike and go, I saw the wasp approaching the bike wheel dragging a really large female Rain Spider, Palystes superciliosus, so I hopped off the bike to snap some pictures with the phone.
Here, it is dragging the spider around the front wheel. Although the spider's front legs are raised in a defensive posture, it is paralysed. The spider is alive but completely helpless, the legs are twitching slightly but they won't move. It must have been raising its legs to ward off the wasp when it was stung. I have seen spiders in various positions being dragged along so the effect of the venom must be almost instantaneous.
Vertebrate animals move by the contraction of muscles around bones and invertebrates with exoskeletons, such as spiders, scorpions or beetles also have muscles that move the jointed parts of their exoskeletons. Spiders are interesting in that they don't use muscles in their legs to move but move their legs by means of a hydraulic system that pumps the fluid inside their cephalothorax (the 'head' part) in and out of their legs. Potassium and sodium are the electrolytes that govern fluid balance within living organisms and wasp venom acts as a potassium channel inhibitor, which blocks the path of neural impulses that make movement possible.
The Spider Hunting Wasp is fairly large, its body is about 3 cm long so that gives you an idea of the size of the spider it is dragging off to its nest. I didn't see where this one caught the spider but it's likely that it dragged this large spider at least 6 or 7 metres to get it to it's nest.
In the nest, the wasp will lay an egg on the still-living but paralysed spider and the larvae will eat it alive. These wasps are also quite specific in their choice of prey, this species of wasp preys specifically on the Palystes or Huntsman spider family. The spider in the picture is the same kind as the one that left its shed skin in my bathroom and I feel sorry for the spider because I like them but they are part of a larger ecosystem and that is how nature functions.
Further reading:
How spider legs work
How toxins and venoms work
Awesome! And gruesome at the same time... but more on the awesome side!
That sums it up well
Good photo!
Spider sorry ...
But such is the nature.
These wasps, in Russia they are called "riders", attack and on cockroaches - that's good.
A cockroach eating spider is one that I would like to see!
I, too!
Poor spider easy prey for wasp.
Not so easy, I often see spider-hunting wasps but this is the first time I have ever seen one with prey. The Huntsman spiders are pretty formidable hunters themselves
This is quite a sad story! The spider was big but it wasn’t quick enough! That wasp looked deadly!
Last year we found a big nest full of giant wasps on the garden. Villagers refused to be near that area! My gardener’s nephew came to smoke them out and took the whole nest away! He’s very skillful!
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All predators must also be prey or nature will become unbalanced. Fortunately these wasps are not a kind that sting humans and they don't make communal nests either
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Wow that sounds so cruel! To be eaten alive sounds horrific.
I suppose it depends on whether you could feel it or not
very nice catch and great timing, the details are so rich! amazing shot and angle!
love your photography style. ❤
Thank you
Wasps are very aggressive insects. My friend was bitten by a wasp in the neck. We had to urgently take him to the hospital as he began to lose sleep.
The poison from a wasp sting has a very strong effect on the human nervous system, therefore it is very dangerous
Yes, it is a powerful venom
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