Rusty Spider Wasp
Tachypompilus ferrugineus
This wasp can drag a paralyzed wolf spider up to several times her own weight backwards over rough terrain and up vertical walls to find a nesting crevice.
- Scientific name
- Tachypompilus ferrugineus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hymenoptera › Pompilidae › Tachypompilus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Forest edges, woodlands, meadows, and suburban gardens, especially around stone walls, rocky outcrops, and sandy soils.
- Diet
- Adults feed on floral nectar; larvae feed exclusively on paralyzed wolf spiders (Lycosidae) provided by the mother.
- Range
- North America, Central America, Caribbean
- Size
- 15-25 mm
- Lifespan
- 1 year
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Widespread pesticide use, habitat fragmentation, and loss of nesting sites.
- Safe to approach?
- Generally defensive only when threatened or handled. Females possess a painful sting but are not aggressive toward humans. Maintain a safe distance of 3 feet and do not attempt to catch them. If stung, wash the area with soap and water, apply ice to reduce swelling, and monitor for signs of an allergic reaction, seeking medical help if necessary.
Tachypompilus ferrugineus , the rusty spider wasp , red-tailed spider hunter , or sometimes red-tailed spider wasp (but that name is also used for the Asian species Tachypompilus analis ) is a species of spider wasp from the Americas. It preys mainly on wandering spiders, especially wolf spiders.
Photo: hr_dragonfly, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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