Parasitoid
Most of us have heard of the word parasite. There is a more extreme form where one creature's young feeds off either the adult or young of the hosts creature while it is still alive. It is usually a one way ticket where death is the final destination.
I have heard of wasps attacking other insects/arachnids but I had never seen one with my own eyes until today. I saw some strange movement under my feet.
I thought that the wasp was attacking the spider but then I realized that the spider was paralyzed and the wasp was doing all the work.
Yup, the prey appears to have 7 legs. Which means it is a spider. You might wonder why I did not attack the wasp to save the spider.
The truth is that the spider is already paralyzed by the wasp and there is nothing I can do. The wasp will drag it back to its nest. It will likely lay some eggs in the spider and the young larvae will then devour the spider while it is alive. That is why I knew the spider was still alive.
I have heard of wasps attacking other insects/arachnids but I had never seen one with my own eyes until today. I saw some strange movement under my feet.
I thought that the wasp was attacking the spider but then I realized that the spider was paralyzed and the wasp was doing all the work.
Yup, the prey appears to have 7 legs. Which means it is a spider. You might wonder why I did not attack the wasp to save the spider.
The truth is that the spider is already paralyzed by the wasp and there is nothing I can do. The wasp will drag it back to its nest. It will likely lay some eggs in the spider and the young larvae will then devour the spider while it is alive. That is why I knew the spider was still alive.
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