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Members
of this family are commonly known as spider wasps because the females
seek out spiders to feed their larvae. Spider wasps are medium to
large and usually black or black and orange in colour. They have
long legs and their wings are usually tinged with yellow or have
black or dark brown markings. These wasps can be distinguished from
other similar wasps as they move by short jumps and repeatedly flick
their wings while hunting for spiders.
Spider
wasps can often be seen searching for spiders under bark, in the holes
and crevices of trees or in the soil. Once located the spider is usually
injected with paralysing venom so an egg can be laid in it. The spiders
are usually stored in burrows with one egg laid per spider. Not all spider
wasps dig their own burrows, some may use another wasps burrow or the
burrow the spider occupied. Others may only paralyse a spider temporarily,
just long enough for an egg to be laid in it.
For
more spider wasp species visit the Australian
Insect Common
Names
- Pompilidae section found here.
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