Tarantula Hawk vs tarantula.

The Tucson Gardener

Tarantula Hawk in Action
I happened to be working in the yard one hot June morning when a black winged Tarantula hawk landed near a hole in the lantana. I went hurried inside the house to grab a camera but by the time I got back, the big wasp had disappeared. I set the camera down on a nearby table and went back to the yard work. A few minutes later I happened to see a red winged tarantula hawk battling a tarantula down a three foot landscape bank. The battle didn't take very long but the wasp's attempts to get the paralyzed victim back to the den took nearly 45 minutes. Below are photographs of the event.

The wasp entered the tarantula's den and managed to get it out in the open where the battle ended when the wasp sting paralyzed the tarantula.
Once the battle was over the wasp strutted around regaining its strength for the task ahead.
The wasp returned to the tarantula den to prepare it as a nest for its young.
The wasp pulled the paralyzed tarantula toward the den. In this case the wasp had to climb a three foot incline.
With determination the wasp pulled the tarantula up this rock.
It took two tries to get up the incline but the persistent Tarantula hawk finally nears the victim's den.
The battle is over. Pulled back to its den, the paralyzed tarantula will be yanked into the den by the wasp and become the host for the wasp's single larvae.
A short victory flight before reentering the den to lay a single egg on the tarantula. The larvae will then feed on the still alive tarantula.

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