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Only in Australia: Video shows a wasp battling a huntsman spider

Only in Australia: Video shows a wasp battling a huntsman spider 2

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Incredible moment a wasp battles a MASSIVE huntsman spider – and you’ll never guess the winner

  • Reddit user shared video on Tuesday after they saw the pair become entangled
  • The wasp grabbed hold of the huntsman spider as they pushed back and forth
  • Moments later, insect attacked again and dragged the large spider across floor 


A wasp has been caught on camera locked in an epic battle with a huge huntsman spider in an Australian backyard. 

A Reddit user posted the video on Tuesday after they saw the pair go head-to-head  on their wooden outdoor deck. 

The wasp was seen grabbing hold of the spider as the insect and arachnid repeatedly pushed back and forth.

The pair came to a standstill after several seconds when the wasp backed off and crawled along the deck.

However, the wasp returned to launch another attack on the spider, which the cameraman said was the size of their palm.

The wasp managed to drag the spider along the wooden flooring as it reached closer to the edge of the outdoor deck.

A wasp has been caught battling an incredibly large spider on an outdoor deck of a house as the insect tried to catch its prey

A wasp has been caught battling an incredibly large spider on an outdoor deck of a house as the insect tried to catch its prey

The video concluded as the insect tried seized its prey and dragged it away. 

The insect was a spider wasp, which are known to prey on spiders and drag them into their hole in the ground to feed their larvae and lay their eggs in the spiders’ abdomen.

Many viewers were stunned by the wasp’s strength and size, while one even sympathised with the arachnid.

The footage showed the insect battle the spider for a fair amount of time as it grabbed hold of the spider, which was the size of a person's palm and dragged it along the wooden flooring

The footage showed the insect battle the spider for a fair amount of time as it grabbed hold of the spider, which was the size of a person’s palm and dragged it along the wooden flooring

One user wrote: ‘That’s a big wasp! I’ve never seen them so big.’

‘Nature is completely ruthless, but the ‘feeding your young on the living bodies of your victims’ wasps are the baddest,’ said another.

While a third said: ‘As much as I hate spiders… even they don’t deserve this.’

The person who recorded the battle joked that they had to burn their house down after witnessing the fight.

Another user replied and said: ‘Considering burning down my own house as a preventative measure.’

WHAT ARE SPIDER WASPS?

Spider wasps are solitary wasps. They prey on spiders to feed their larvae or they parasitise other spider wasps. They are a very large black wasp with orange wings and legs and a broad orange band around its abdomen. Spider wasps are seen throughout Australia.  

FEEDING AND DIET

Spider wasps are often seen digging in soft sandy soil and dragging huntsman spiders along. Some are known to bite off the legs of the spiders to make it easier to drag them, while others have scaled that allow them to walk on spiders’ webs and sneakily attack the owner.   

LIFE HISTORY CYCLE 

The spider wasps usually seen and heard are female wasps preparing nest chambers for their larvae. They dig a burrow using long spines on their front legs, then search rapidly for a spider. On finding the spider, the wasp stings and paralyses it, and then drags or flies it back to their burrow. The wasp then lays an egg on the spider’s body, and seals it in a chamber or cell at the end of the burrow. The larva hatches and feeds on the body of the spider before growing in a thin silky cocoon in the cell.

Some spider wasps sting the spider and lay an egg on it but do not dig a hole to put it in. The spider is left where it was stung and the larva hatches and eats the spider.

DANGER TO HUMANS

Spider wasps have a potentially painful sting, but are not aggressive and aren’t likely to use their venom on humans unless extremely provoked. The best advice is to leave them alone. An ice pack may be used to relieve the pain of the sting. If there is evidence of an allergic reaction, medical attention should be sought. 

 SOURCE: AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM 

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