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denbot

(9,949 posts)

21. The scary part is that "murder hornets" act as colony, Tarantula hawks are solitary critters.

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Fri May 8, 2020, 01:53 PM

May 2020

A colony is far more dangerous than any single creature of the same type. All tarantula hawks lead solitary lives, and are easy to deal with as individuals. I collected a couple for a lower division entomology class, so dealt with them up close and angry.

It becomes less about how beautiful the contrast between their gunmetal blue carapace contrasts with their nearly day-glow orange wings, and more about the nearly inch long stinger tattooing it’s way through the capture net.

They are very beautiful creatures, but definitely have anger issues if disturbed.

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Murder Hornet? I Scoff at It. [View all] MineralMan May 2020 OP

we have them too, in AZ Kali May 2020 #1

Yes. Wherever there are tarantulas, you'll find those wasps. MineralMan May 2020 #6

Just to be clear - tarantula hawks and murder hornets are two different things. n/t Ms. Toad May 2020 #2

Yes, they are. One is an invasive species. The other is native to the USA. MineralMan May 2020 #5

Thanks but no thanks. MontanaMama May 2020 #3

Terrified of those things. I've removed certain white-flowering shrubs BusyBeingBest May 2020 #4

I'm fond of tarantulas, too. MineralMan May 2020 #7

Yikes ismnotwasm May 2020 #8

Well, except for your Giant Asian Hornets. BusyBeingBest May 2020 #9

That's true. Southern California is a desert, really. MineralMan May 2020 #10

They don't decimate honeybee colonies, however Cirque du So-What May 2020 #11

That's true, of course. MineralMan May 2020 #12

Japanese honeybees have evolved a smothering/overheating defense Cirque du So-What May 2020 #13

Dang, that's a big mofo happybird May 2020 #14

I know. I was warned about the tarantula hawks at a very early age. MineralMan May 2020 #15

not the same species, not close either. BGBD May 2020 #16

Yes. I know that. I'm presenting the Tarantula Hawk as even MineralMan May 2020 #19

did you see the video of BGBD May 2020 #24

let's all hope that the worst of all (the Executioner Wasp of Central & South America) doesnt invade Celerity May 2020 #17

I can't stand ANY bug that has a needle in it's ass. Archae May 2020 #18

I've never heard or seen one of those things PlanetBev May 2020 #20

They're not common, really. The only place you'd ever see them is MineralMan May 2020 #22

The scary part is that "murder hornets" act as colony, Tarantula hawks are solitary critters. denbot May 2020 #21

You're the first person other than myself who has ever shown an interest MineralMan May 2020 #23

I'm more concerned about our honey bees. Niagara May 2020 #25

I'm a child of the Africanized Killer Bee era -- I scoff at all of it. tandem5 May 2020 #26