Video

Tarantula Hawks

Grand Canyon National Park

Transcript

There is no narration for this video. An audio-described version has been provided.

Description

While adult tarantula hawks (Pepsis thisbe) are nectarivores, they get their name because adult females hunt tarantulas as food for their larvae. An adult female will paralyze a tarantula with its stinger then lay eggs in the spider's abdomen. Once the egg hatches, the larvae will feed on the still living spider for several weeks, avoiding vital organs to keep the spider alive until the larvae pupates into an adult wasp. Take a "Minute Out In It" to be grateful these wasps aren't the size of real hawks!

Duration

1 minute, 9 seconds

Credit

Rader Lane

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