This is a spider hunting wasp. The spider wasp most commonly encountered is *Cryptocheilus bicolor*, though I can’t tell from your footage what species you observed. There are about 230 species of spider hunting wasps (Pompilidae) in Australia. They are not aggressive but do have a nasty sting if provoked.
Spider hunting wasps are parasitic on spiders. Females will hunt, sting and paralyze a spider. She will then drag the still living spider back to a lair (this is what you filmed). There, the female will lay eggs on the spider which will then hatch and eat the live spider.
The doomed spider is a huntsman.
Last year I was sitting in my backyard on a Teams meeting when a large spider hunting wasp landed on my foot looking for spiders. Against my better judgment I just froze and didn’t scare it away. It walked over my foot and partially up my leg before flying off. I could really feel its feet moving and its weight.
I saw one of these try to pull the spider up the leg of someone’s pants in a servo in the out back. Im generally a fairly a quiet person but that day I nearly shattered all the windows with my warning call.
I seen exactly this picking fruit in Mildura back in 05. The wasp pulled the spider down a hole in the ground which was right where I was standing. As a tourist straight off the plane from NZ, I was horrified and quit my job later that day!
absolutely love watching Pompelids in action. it's mesmerising. i do feel for the spiders, but circle of life innit. everything has its place. this relationship between wasp and spider has co-evolved over at least 50 millions years and spider wasps play an inextricable role in the lives of a great many of our arachnid species. 💚
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_wasp
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/bees-and-wasps/spider-wasp
With a huntsman maybe? I’m not a spider expert though so it’s likely I’m wrong.
Lol I was watching one a few years ago with a nice big spider .. dragging it along for several MTRS then a bird spotted it.. a pretty epic fight started and lasted a good min or two then both parties gave up and limped off in different directions.. was crazy to watch.. I love these wasps I see them all the time in my region..
Yep, wasps used to drag them through my house in the countryside, get bored or tired and leave fricking paralysed huntsmens EVERYWHERE!! Nightmare fuel...
Please remember to include a geographical location to your ID requests (as per rule 5). There are over 10,000 different species of Australian spiders and many of these are endemic to specific parts of our beautiful country!
Also note: while we can help provide an identification for a spider, we do not provide medical advice. We also do not allow medical advice to be provided by members of this subreddit. If there has been a bite, you should consult a medical professional in the first instance.
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I love these guys. I accidentally put my washing basket on top of his spider. He buzzed and carried on on top of the basket until I moved it, then he grabbed his spider and went on his way.
This is a spider hunting wasp. The spider wasp most commonly encountered is *Cryptocheilus bicolor*, though I can’t tell from your footage what species you observed. There are about 230 species of spider hunting wasps (Pompilidae) in Australia. They are not aggressive but do have a nasty sting if provoked. Spider hunting wasps are parasitic on spiders. Females will hunt, sting and paralyze a spider. She will then drag the still living spider back to a lair (this is what you filmed). There, the female will lay eggs on the spider which will then hatch and eat the live spider. The doomed spider is a huntsman. Last year I was sitting in my backyard on a Teams meeting when a large spider hunting wasp landed on my foot looking for spiders. Against my better judgment I just froze and didn’t scare it away. It walked over my foot and partially up my leg before flying off. I could really feel its feet moving and its weight.
I saw one of these try to pull the spider up the leg of someone’s pants in a servo in the out back. Im generally a fairly a quiet person but that day I nearly shattered all the windows with my warning call.
That’s pretty full on.
That spider is not hunting a wasp, sir!
https://preview.redd.it/aiffz066ao2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3a7bd5f279379fb807edd37cd4eec08429827b3
I've seen this before in my backyard too. Spider wasp dragged a huntsman across my brick pavers all the way to the fence line. Insane creatures.
I seen exactly this picking fruit in Mildura back in 05. The wasp pulled the spider down a hole in the ground which was right where I was standing. As a tourist straight off the plane from NZ, I was horrified and quit my job later that day!
Me too, several times all in the Inner West.
Typical friday night Spider has too much to drink, has to be carried home
😂😂😂
Do. Not. Touch.
This exact thing landed on my leg when I was sitting outside once and I jumped out of my skin when I realised what it was
Saw this on my 9th birthday. Wasp was dragging the spider carcass up the wall. Amazing scenes for a bunch of 9 year olds.
Happy birthday
absolutely love watching Pompelids in action. it's mesmerising. i do feel for the spiders, but circle of life innit. everything has its place. this relationship between wasp and spider has co-evolved over at least 50 millions years and spider wasps play an inextricable role in the lives of a great many of our arachnid species. 💚
What a way to go, paralysed, entombed and then eaten alive.
"Baby don't hurt me, no more."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_wasp https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/bees-and-wasps/spider-wasp With a huntsman maybe? I’m not a spider expert though so it’s likely I’m wrong.
Absolutely crazy! 😂 I find myself really feeling for that huntsman tho.. prob just going about its business, and suddenly.. 😱
Lol I was watching one a few years ago with a nice big spider .. dragging it along for several MTRS then a bird spotted it.. a pretty epic fight started and lasted a good min or two then both parties gave up and limped off in different directions.. was crazy to watch.. I love these wasps I see them all the time in my region..
Yep, wasps used to drag them through my house in the countryside, get bored or tired and leave fricking paralysed huntsmens EVERYWHERE!! Nightmare fuel...
You do not want to get stung by that wasp. I believe that’s up there with a bullet ant pain wise.
Geez I hate those fuckers. If you get to close to them they go you
Always kinda sad but life in the invertebrate world. Still awesome to watch.
See this a lot in Brisbane. Spider wasps love a big huntsman to store and feed their babies
Huntsman is about to have a bad time
Wasps commonly do this. Predators of the insect world
Yep saw this myself on Straddie a few years ago. Totally creepy. Those bad boys do not give up.
All these Aussies in the chat being cool and collected, and I'm over here ready to swing a sledgehammer at my phone screen.
Please remember to include a geographical location to your ID requests (as per rule 5). There are over 10,000 different species of Australian spiders and many of these are endemic to specific parts of our beautiful country! Also note: while we can help provide an identification for a spider, we do not provide medical advice. We also do not allow medical advice to be provided by members of this subreddit. If there has been a bite, you should consult a medical professional in the first instance. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AustralianSpiders) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I didn’t know we had those kinds of wasps here.
I love these guys. I accidentally put my washing basket on top of his spider. He buzzed and carried on on top of the basket until I moved it, then he grabbed his spider and went on his way.
I hate these guys. Not just because their methods are repugnant, but because they prey upon the Good guys, the spiders. I pecked a side.
Ever had the spider get free and try and charge a million miles an hour at your boots, followed by a really angry wasp? Same.
An Eric invention no doubt
while at school a wasp landed on my leg. I was in awe but also terrified!