flying predator

[schrackman]

I didn't know what this was until some time after I took the shot. It's a tarantula hawk wasp, from Corriganville Park in Simi Valley. These insects like to hang around tarantula burrows, tugging at their web, in hopes of luring one out where they proceed to paralyze the spider with their sting, take it back to their burrow where they lay an egg on it, which in turn feeds on the living spider for approxiately 30 days. Not a nice way to go!

I read where this wasp has one of the most painful stings. It's a good thing I was just a bit intimidated taking its picture.

Ray