Spider Wasp
Spider wasps are a group of wasps that belong to the family pompilidae. They are found all over the world in forests, deserts and grasslands. They make their nests in burrows and other sheltered locations and are known for their interesting behaviours and striking appearance.
Appearance:
Spider wasps are typically large, with a body length that can range from 1 to 5 centimetres. They have long, slender legs and a narrow waist. Their bodies are usually black or brown with contrasting yellow, orange, or white markings, which may be bands, spots, or stripes. They also have large, often iridescent wings.
Habits and Diet:
As their name suggests, spider wasps feed on spiders. Females hunt and paralyse spiders, and after paralysing the spider they keep them inside their nests for their developing offspring. They typically target spiders that are larger than themselves and may use venom to subdue them. Once the spider is immobilised, the wasp carries it back to its nest and lays a single egg on its body.
Spider Wasp’s Behaviour:
Spider wasps are solitary wasps, meaning that they do not form colonies like social wasps do. Instead, each female wasp builds her own nest and cares for her own offspring. They are also known for their impressive hunting and provisioning behaviour, some species of spider wasps are capable of flying long distances, and they are known to use visual cues to navigate and locate their nests.
Life Cycle:
- Mating: Adult spider wasps emerge in the spring or summer and begin to mate. Males patrol areas looking for females to mate with.
- Hunting: Females hunt spiders, typically targeting spiders that are larger than themselves. They use their stingers to subdue the spiders, but they do not kill them. Instead, they keep them alive but paralysed so that they can be used to provision the wasps’ nest.
- Nest building: Once the female has caught a spider, she drags it back to her nest, which may be a burrow in the ground or a crevice in a tree or wall, she lays a single egg on the spider’s body, then seals the nest with dirt or debris.
- Development: The wasp larva hatches and begins to feed on the paralyzed spider. As it grows, it consumes the spider, which provides all the nutrients it needs to develop. The larva spins a cocoon around itself and pupates.
- Emergence: After a period of time, the adult wasp emerges from the cocoon and chews its way out of the nest. It may take several weeks or months for the wasp to complete its development, depending on the species and environmental conditions.
- Reproduction: Once the adult wasp has emerged, it begins to search for a mate and repeat the cycle. Females typically build several nests over the course of their lifetime, while males may mate with multiple females.
Book a Professional Team for Spider Wasp Removal
As not all locations may be suitable for the wasp treatment process, you can risk getting hurt if you try to enter any of these regions on your own. We start by determining the kind of wasps that require treatment. The method of wasp sting treatment varies depending on the species of wasp. Once the wasp has been located, we will suggest a course of treatment to you. You can book a professional wasp removal Perth team with us.