Here is a very scary thing I saw in Chiang Mai, back in 2010. It was early in the morning, a beautiful shimmering blue and black butterfly fell slowly to the ground in the breeze. I drew my camera, ready to shoot. Then, a tiny bootlace snake literally leapt from a tree to attack it and missed. This was followed by a large spider rushing ouy of its hiding place close by to attack the butterfly or the snake (I was getting confused). Then, amazingly, the butterfly attacked the spider and the spider went limp instantly. Of course, I realised that it wasn't a butterfly after all, but a cunning and scary wasp. It eventually dragged the large spider away to its lair ... or wherever it was. It only lasted about 30 seconds in total, but a memory I will never forget. It has been IDd as a Spider Wasp (family Pompilidae), by Joe Hartman, who said that these wasps remove the spider's legs so that they cannot move anymore, before eating the spider. Nice! Cheers, Joe.
Now dragging its prey away, probably to host its young whilst still alive. Gruesome.
It's a Spider wasp (not surprisingly), family Pompilidae.
ReplyDeleteNasty for spiders, as they first remove the legs, so the spider cannot move anymore, then they start eating the spider....
Cheers, Joe
Amazing sight!
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