Wasps in the family Pompilidae are commonly called spider wasps, spider-hunting wasps, [1] or pompilid wasps. [2] The family is cosmopolitan, with some 5,000 species in six …Habits. Tarantula wasps are "nectarivorous", consuming juice from fruits and berries. Their consumption of fermented nectar will occasionally intoxicate them to the extent that flight becomes difficult. While P. marginata wasps have been observed to be most active in the daytime during summer months, they tend to avoid very high temperatures. Spider wasps can also be specialized, as demonstrated by the tarantula hawk. It’s the story of large wasps with painful stings taking on large spiders, in a battle of survival. In this case, the tarantula hawk preys on tarantulas for the purpose of making them their larval hosts.Spider wasps of the genus Pepsis, also known as tarantula hawks, have a sting rating of 4. The sting is described as "blinding, fierce, and shockingly electric. A running hair dryer has been dropped into your bubble bath." [26] Only the sting of the bullet ant, Paraponera clavata, is ranked higher, with a 4+ rating.You can identify wasps and hornets by examining the insect’s size, markings and colors. Other clues to help differentiate wasps from hornets include the insects’ nesting behaviors,...Wasps in the family Pompilidae are commonly called spider wasps, spider-hunting wasps, [1] or pompilid wasps. [2] The family is cosmopolitan, with some 5,000 species in six …Wasps can be a nuisance and even pose a threat to your safety, especially if they have built a nest near your home or in your garden. One of the safest ways to deal with a wasp nes...This intimidating insect is the largest wasp species in the entire United States and it certainly lives up to its intimidating name! ... How much would someone have to pay you to willingly get stung by a tarantula hawk?? 91. 1y. Edited. View all 176 replies. Author. Coyote Peterson.Learn about the tarantula hawk, a wasp that captures and eats live tarantulas in the Southwest. Find out how they live, feed, mate, and defend themselves from …Tarantula Hawks can grow up to 11 cm long ( Pepsis heros ), and females are usually bigger than the males. They’re called Tarantula Hawks because they hunt and kill tarantulas, even though the spiders are bigger than them. While adult Tarantula Hawks also love sweet nectar, female wasps hunt spiders for their babies. Tarantula Hawk Characteristics. The scientific name of the Tarantula Hawk is Pepsis thisbe. Tarantula hawks are one of the largest species of wasps as they can grow up to 5 cm or 2 inches in length. They usually have dark blue/black bodies with brown wings. The vivid colors on the wasp’s body is an example of aposematism which is a biological ... A spider wasp Pompilids typically have long, spiny legs; the hind femur is often long enough to reach past the tip of the abdomen. The tibiae of the rear legs usually have a conspicuous spine at their distal end. The first two segments of the abdomen are narrow, giving the body a slender look. There exists a wasp, the tarantula hawk, that can make a tarantula run away in fear. The sting of a tarantula hawk is so powerful that it paralyzes the tarantula spider permanently. Also, their sting is considered to be one of the most painful stings in the world. The tarantula hawk is a species of spider wasps that is famous for hunting down ... Dec 8, 2022 · The nest of the hawk wasp looks like a small hole in the ground. It has a diameter of around 1 to 2 inches. The size of the neck varies with the size of the wasp. Female tarantula hawk wasps often inhabit abandoned nests of other animals. They also build their nest in natural cavities created in rocks over time. Jun 3, 2020 · Tarantula Hawk Wasp. It is hard to think of a creature that is more formidable than a tarantula, but the tarantula hawk wasp fits that profile. Packing a wallop that is supposed to be one of the most painful stings in the insect world, the tarantula hawk rarely stings humans. Rather, it seeks, paralyzes, and parasitizes tarantulas. Hemipepsis ustulata is a species of tarantula hawk wasp. Tarantula hawks are a large, conspicuous family of long-legged wasps that prey on tarantulas.Identification. Tarantula hawks are large wasps. Pepsis thisbe, the most common species of tarantula hawk in the Grand Canyon, can grow up to 2 inches (5cm) in length. Tarantula hawks have dark blue, iridescent bodies, bright orange wings, and long legs. Males have straight antennae, females have curly antennae. Aug 9, 2012 ... It is a SPIDER WASP of the Pompilidae family, almost certainly a TARANTULA HAWK aka PEPSIS WASP. It's fortunate that I didn't try to pet it or ...Tarantula hawks are a large, conspicuous family of long-legged wasps that prey on tarantulas using their long legs to grapple with their prey before paralyzing them with a …Beautiful Tarantula Hawk wasp in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona.A tarantula hawk is a spider wasp (Pompilidae) that preys on tarantulas. Tarantula hawks belong to any of the many species in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis . They are one of the largest parasitoid wasps , using their sting to paralyze their prey before dragging it to a brood nest as living food; a single egg is laid on the prey, hatching to ... Browse Getty Images' premium collection of high-quality, authentic Tarantula Hawk Wasp stock photos, royalty-free images, and pictures. Tarantula Hawk Wasp ...But to most people, it’s known as the tarantula hawk. Despite its name, the tarantula hawk is neither a spider nor a bird of prey. It’s a wasp. But by no means an ordinary wasp: Its spectacular and at times draconian mode of survival, its ferocious strength, and its otherworldly courage put the T-hawk in a category all its own."Tarantula Hawk vs. Tarantula"Once the Tarantula Hawk found the Tarantula, it circled around it for about 8 minutes. Then the spider wasp attempted to crawl,...Nov 5, 2016 ... Tarantulas are incredibly fearsome and intimidating, but it's not at the top of its food chain. The footage was captured by USGS Ecologist ...FIGHT STARTS AT 6:38Dave and Jeremy track down the infamous Tarantula Hawk Wasp and the desert blonde tarantula. The hawk wasp is known as the "spider killer...Wasp and tarantula diets can differ depending on the species and the surrounding environment. They are both capable of locating and consuming a variety of food sources to meet their dietary needs, though, so that much is certain. So, keep in mind that animals like tarantulas and wasps also need to eat to survive the next time you come across one.13 Most Dangerous Wasps. The following wasps have been seen as dangerous to humans. They are all found in parts of the US. 1. Pepsis grossa. Pepsis grossa. Pepsis grossa or the Tarantula Hawk is known for hunting and killing tarantulas that are often larger. This wasp is one of the most dangerous and painful to humans.Synoeca is a genus of eusocial paper wasps found in the tropical forests of the Americas. Commonly known as warrior wasps or drumming wasps, they are known for their aggressive behavior, a threat display consisting of multiple insects guarding a nest beating their wings in a synchronized fashion, and an extremely painful sting (rating at the …Tarantula hawk is a spider wasp that hunts tarantulas (spiders) not for eating but to hatch her eggs inside the spider abdomen. An extraordinary way to feed ...Sep 12, 2022 ... This is one of the more gruesome tales in all of the animal kingdom. The tarantula hawk will sting the tarantula and paralyze it. The skinny ...Pepsis versus tarantula in Arizona. Pepsis (from Ancient Greek πέψι lit. pepsis meaning 'digestion, cooking') is a genus of spider wasps belonging to the family Pompilidae. Species within this genus are also called tarantula hawks, as they usually hunt tarantulas, similarly to many species in the genus Hemipepsis. Remove Food Sources. It’s also important to keep your home clean and free of any potential food sources for tarantula hawk wasps. These can include pet food, garbage, and even fallen fruit from trees. By …Most tarantulas can jump a few inches and typically pounce forward horizontally to catch prey, rather than leaping vertically. Some arboreal and tree-climbing species can jump fart...Habits. Tarantula wasps are "nectarivorous", consuming juice from fruits and berries. Their consumption of fermented nectar will occasionally intoxicate them to the extent that flight becomes difficult. While P. marginata wasps have been observed to be most active in the daytime during summer months, they tend to avoid very high temperatures. Oct 13, 2023 · The information you have heard is basically correct. Tarantula Hawks are large wasps in the genus Pepsis found in the Americas. The female wasp stings and parazyzes a Tarantula and drags it into a burrow where she lays an egg. The young wasp larva hatches and has a fresh food supply, eating the Tarantula alive. Thanks for the awesome photo. Tarantulas have few natural enemies, but parasitic pepsis wasps are a formidable exception. Such a wasp will paralyze a tarantula with its sting and lay its eggs on the spider's body.Tarantula Hawks (Pepsis Genus) are part of a species of wasps known as Spider Wasps. They are one of the largest parasitoid wasp species in the world, with lengths of up to 2 inches . These wasps are found all across Central and Southern America and the southern United States.Biology. For most people a single bee or wasp sting is one too many. But University of Arizona entomologist Justin Schmidt is a dramatic exception: By his own estimation he has been stung more ...9:50am Nov 15, 2013. A dramatic battle between two of the creepiest crawlies in the animal kingdom has been caught on film. In one corner is the tarantula hawk, an enormous and ferocious wasp said ...1. Some male tarantula hawk wasps Hemipepsis ustulata defend landmark shrubs growing on mountain tops, while others only visit a succession of territory sites, generally fleeing from territorial ...These wasps require a tarantula to serve as a host or 'meal" for their larvae. The female wasp will look for a burrow that contains a tarantula and then disturb the webbing around the burrow to coax the tarantula to come out. She stings the tarantula on its underside paralyzing it and drags it down into a burrow."Tarantula hawk wasps are large wasps native to the southwest United States," she said. "Known for their painful sting, these wasps are easily spotted by their dark blue, sometimes iridescent metallic body and orange wings." These wasps can get as big as 11 centimeters long, which is roughly as large as a hummingbird.RM PRPR91–Tarantula hawk on hand, it's a giant wasp that hunts spiders and lay eggs on them, from the Pompilidae family, photo taken with the insect found dead.Oct 21, 2021 ... Parasitoid wasps represent the plurality of venomous animals, but have received extremely little research in proportion to this taxonomic ...This critter is ranked as providing one of the most painful stings to humans. Tarantula Hawk Wasp (Photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org) While these bugs don’t like to sting humans—they are parasitic to tarantulas, not people—it can be quite painful to come into contact with them. Dec 9, 2022 · Tarantula Hawk Life Cycle. This spider wasp most definitely doesn’t share your wide-eyed fascination or passive curiosity when it comes to tarantulas. Unlike other bugs, it has a complete life cycle. The female tarantula hawk, after a successful mating, begins to look for a tarantula to lay her eggs in. In 3-4 days, the tarantula hawk egg ... Identification. Tarantula hawks are large wasps. Pepsis thisbe, the most common species of tarantula hawk in the Grand Canyon, can grow up to 2 inches (5cm) in length. Tarantula hawks have dark blue, iridescent bodies, bright orange wings, and long legs. Males have straight antennae, females have curly antennae. Habits. Tarantula wasps are "nectarivorous", consuming juice from fruits and berries. Their consumption of fermented nectar will occasionally intoxicate them to the extent that flight becomes difficult. While P. marginata wasps have been observed to be most active in the daytime during summer months, they tend to avoid very high temperatures.Oct 13, 2023 · The information you have heard is basically correct. Tarantula Hawks are large wasps in the genus Pepsis found in the Americas. The female wasp stings and parazyzes a Tarantula and drags it into a burrow where she lays an egg. The young wasp larva hatches and has a fresh food supply, eating the Tarantula alive. Thanks for the awesome photo. May 18, 2016 · Tarantula hawks are the largest members of the spider wasp family Pompilidae, a family some 5,000-species strong that prey solely on spiders. The feature of tarantula hawks that makes them so special is their choice of the largest of all spiders, the fierce and intimidating tarantulas, as their target prey. Measuring 5cm in length, with a rating of 4 on Schmidt’s Pain Index, the Tarantula Hawk Wasp is undoubtedly the most dangerous wasp. Among all Tarantula hawk Wasps, Pepsis heros are the largest species that can grow up to 11 cm in length. Other Tarantula hawk species: Pepsis thisbe; Hemipepsis ustulata; Pepsis heros; …Among the best-known spider wasps are the tarantula hawks (Pepsis), steel-blue-bodied insects with orange wings; some of the largest members of the family belong to this …Nov 20, 2017 ... A tarantula hawk wasp was seen attacking a tarantula in Arizona. ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoWILDSubscribe About National Geographic ...Nov 4, 2023 · Explore the mysterious world of the tarantula hawk wasp, a remarkable predator with a good lifestyle. Uncover facts and more, in our guide. The tarantula hawk wasp is known for its excruciating sting, which has been described as one of the most painful insect stings in the world. The pain is so intense that it can render its prey paralyzed for several minutes, providing an opportunity for the wasp to drag it to a safe location for consumption.Among the best-known spider wasps are the tarantula hawks (Pepsis), steel-blue-bodied insects with orange wings; some of the largest members of the family belong to this …The tarantual hawk wasp can be two inches long, and as thick as a pencil, making it one of the world's largest wasps. (photo source: www.bugman123.com) In 1989 the New Mexico State government designated the tarantula hawk wasp (Pepsis formosa) as the state insect. Sixth graders from Edgewood, New Mexico spearheaded the nomination, backed by the ... Tarantula Hawks can deliver a sting that is very painful to people, but downright paralyzing to tarantulas. Once paralyzed, the helpless tarantula is brought back to the Tarantula Hawk's burrow. To add more agony to the fate of the unfortunate tarantula, it is usually buried alive (still paralyzed) with some Tarantula Hawk wasp eggs.This critter is ranked as providing one of the most painful stings to humans. Tarantula Hawk Wasp (Photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org) While these bugs don’t like to sting humans—they are parasitic to tarantulas, not people—it can be quite painful to come into contact with them.The Tarantula hawk wasp (THW) is a solitary wasp and one of the largest of its species. Found in the deserts of the southwest United States, these wasps can ...Dec 28, 2022 · Explanation of Names. Meaning of species name menechma is a bit obscure. Lepeletier ( BHL link) called it, in French, Pepsis Menechme. A French Dictionary gives, with English translations by Google: ménechme (nominal): gémeau, jumeau (both meaning twin), sosie (doppelgänger). This is a reference to the Roman comedy, based on a Greek original ... The tarantula hawk wasp is the largest wasp in the world. These wasps belong to the genus of spider wasps, and their only purpose in life is to hunt tarantulas. Although the length of several species may regularly reach up to 2 inches, the Pulszkyi’s tarantula hawk ( Pepsis pulszky) is the longest of any of them.Jul 6, 2023 · Among tarantula hawk wasps, only the females are fierce tarantula-battling warriors. The males, like all male wasps, don’t even have stingers. (Photo by David Crummey via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) It sounds like a tiny helicopter, motoring through the air. But no—it’s a female tarantula hawk wasp. Jun 24, 2016 · Tarantula hawks are the largest members of the spider wasp family Pompilidae, a family of some 5,000-species strong that prey solely on spiders. The feature of tarantula hawks that makes them so special is their choice of the largest of all spiders, the fierce and intimidating tarantulas, as their target prey. Spider wasp, any insect of the family Pompilidae, also known as Psammocharidae (order Hymenoptera). They are distributed throughout most of the world.Mar 21, 2023 · The tarantula hawk wasp gets its name because it hunts, rather like a bird of prey. In this case, the prey is a tarantula or a large and well-fed spider. The wasp doesn’t eat the tarantula but paralyzes it, drags it to its burrow, and lays an egg on it. When the egg hatches, the larva burrows into the spider’s body but is careful not to eat ... Jun 4, 2018 ... The process, seen through by the species' females, sounds rather vicious, but fear not; the tarantula hawk is generally harmless to humans ...Tarantulas begin life as eggs in egg sacs before hatching and leaving their mothers’ burrows. They are solitary creatures, meeting only to mate during warm months. Males live for 1...The tarantula hawk wasp is found almost worldwide, ranging from Southeast Asia to Australia, Europe and the Americas. They are parasitoid wasps that hunt ...Search from 219 Tarantula Wasp stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else.Jan 18, 2021 · The Tarantula Hawk Wasp is the largest species of wasps with the more common species of Tarantula Hawks being up to 2 inches long! The Tarantula Hawk is considered to carry one of the world's most painful stings from an insect — the wasp stings are described as "immediate, excruciating, unrelenting pain that simply shuts down one's ability to ... Tarantula hawks are a species of spider wasp that hunts and paralyses tarantulas, the largest spiders on Earth. They have one of the most painful stings on the planet, according to a pain scale created by an entomologist. Learn more about their eccentricities, venom, and distribution from the Museum. Explanation of Names. Meaning of species name menechma is a bit obscure. Lepeletier ( BHL link) called it, in French, Pepsis Menechme. A French Dictionary gives, with English translations by Google: ménechme (nominal): gémeau, jumeau (both meaning twin), sosie (doppelgänger). This is a reference to the Roman comedy, based …Eventually, an adult Tarantula Hawk wasp emerges from the nest and the life cycle begins once again. Habitat. P. marginata is found in many locations from the ...Feb 8, 2017 · Tarantula hawks are large wasps that feed on tarantulas, the largest spiders in the world. They have dark blue, iridescent bodies, bright orange wings, and long legs. Learn how they identify, locate, and sting their prey in the Grand Canyon National Park. The Tarantula Hawk Wasp was adopted by the 39th Legislature in 1989 as New Mexico State Insect. New Mexico State Insect: Tarantula Hawk Wasp. Several species of the wasps known as "tarantula hawks" that build nests in the ground and provide their young with spiders for food inhabit the desert lands of the southwest. Pepsis ...The Tarantula Hawk's Scientific Name. New Mexico's state insect is one of the largest wasps in North America, which makes sense when you consider that their prey is hands-down the largest spider in North America. The tarantula hawk wasp belongs to the order Hymenoptera, which includes not only all bees and wasps but all ants as well.Notable types include the rain spider wasp of South Africa, the black-banded spider wasp in the UK, the orange spider wasp of Sydney and Australia, and the …13 Most Dangerous Wasps. The following wasps have been seen as dangerous to humans. They are all found in parts of the US. 1. Pepsis grossa. Pepsis grossa. Pepsis grossa or the Tarantula Hawk is known for hunting and killing tarantulas that are often larger. This wasp is one of the most dangerous and painful to humans.Tarantula hawks are a large, conspicuous family of long-legged wasps that prey on tarantulas using their long legs to grapple with their prey before paralyzing them with a …Pepsis mildei. Pepsis mildei, also known as Milde's tarantula-hawk wasp, is a species of predatory spider wasp native to the Western Hemisphere. These wasps capture live tarantulas to feed to their larva; the adults graze on flowers. [1] Tarantula hawks generally have no meaningful predators. [2] The wing color is black and/or orange, with rare ... One of the few natural enemies that tarantulas have are the parasitic pepsis wasp. These wasps can paralyse a tarantula with one sting and lays their eggs on the spider’s body. When they larvae hatch, they will feed off the still-living tarantula. Unlike other spiders, tarantulas don’t use webs to trap their prey.The tarantula hawk wasp females give them their name. The insect requires a spider to serve as a host for their larvae and tarantulas are the preferred nursery."Tarantula Hawk vs. Tarantula"Once the Tarantula Hawk found the Tarantula, it circled around it for about 8 minutes. Then the spider wasp attempted to crawl,...Tarantula hawks are a species of spider wasp that hunts and paralyses tarantulas, the largest spiders on Earth. They have one of the most painful stings on the planet, according to a pain scale created by an …A tarantula hawk (pepsis formosa) is a spider wasp that typically preys on tarantulas. It is the insect of New Mexico that belongs to the members of spider wasp family. The tarantula hawk is the largest Central American spider wasp, reaching a length of about 3 inches with a wingspan measuring up to 100 mm. Jun 3, 2020 ... Once the spider is paralyzed, the wasp will drag the tarantula, sometimes eight times her body weight, to a dugout burrow where she will lay a ...Jan 18, 2021 · The Tarantula Hawk Wasp is the largest species of wasps with the more common species of Tarantula Hawks being up to 2 inches long! The Tarantula Hawk is considered to carry one of the world's most painful stings from an insect — the wasp stings are described as "immediate, excruciating, unrelenting pain that simply shuts down one's ability to ... Wasps. Wasps comprise an enormous and diverse assemblage of insects ranging from the smallest known insects tiny parasites of insect eggs to immense cicada killers and tarantula hawks. Most wasps are predators whose young feed on other insects or arthropods, but a few groups have become vegetarians, similar to bees, and collect pollen to be fed ...Tarantulas and tarantula hawks are two fascinating creatures found in the Southwest United States. While tarantulas are the largest spiders in the region, tarantula hawks are large, metallic blue and orange wasps. Both species can be quite intimidating, but you might be interested to find out how they interact with each other. As you may ...
Tarantula hawk is a spider wasp that hunts tarantulas (spiders) not for eating but to hatch her eggs inside the spider abdomen. An extraordinary way to feed .... Scared short story
Tarantula Hawks (also known as Tarantula Hawk Wasps) are neutral mobs that can be found in Desert and Badlands biomes. Tarantula Hawks will fight back if the player attacks one. Tarantula Hawks will attack Spiders or threats using their erratic flying pattern and their sting, applying the Debilitating Sting effect in the process. Tarantula Hawks will regularly …The tarantula hawk wasp is known for its excruciating sting, which has been described as one of the most painful insect stings in the world. The pain is so intense that it can render its prey paralyzed for several minutes, providing an opportunity for the wasp to drag it to a safe location for consumption.1. The breeding season of H. ustulata extends over a 2 1/2 month period in the Sonoran desert near Phoenix, AZ. Individual males are active on mountain ridges for periods averaging about 3 weeks for those wasps captured in the first half of the flight season. Many males live more than 1 month. 2. Some palo verde trees chosen as landmark territories …Other articles where tarantula hawk is discussed: spider wasp: …best-known spider wasps are the tarantula hawks (Pepsis), steel-blue-bodied insects with orange wings; some of the largest members of the family belong to this genus. Especially common in the southwestern United States, they provision their nests with trapdoor spiders and tarantulas and often attack spiders many times their own ... 21 October 2016 at 7:46 am. In today’s really unwatchable video news, a wildlife expert has got himself stung by a vicious ‘tarantula hawk’ wasp - deliberately. Brave Wilderness host Coyote Peterson is visibly nervous as he handles the wasp - and then places it on his naked forearm. Peterson says, ‘They say that it’s number two on the ...When the tarantula emerges from the burrow, the wasp will provoke the spider by prodding it with her antennae. If the tarantula rears up on it’s legs, the wasp will deliver a sting into the nerve ganglia in the underside of the spider’s cephalothorax. She then drags the spider back to it’s burrow or another sheltered location.Sep 7, 2023 ... Tarantula Hawk wasps paralyze the spider by stinging it, and then dragging it to the wasp's burrow where it would lay its eggs and when the ...Tarantula hawk wasps are solitary wasps and one of the largest of its species. They can look metallic in color with orange-colored wings. They also have hooked claws. Found in the deserts of the southwest United States, these wasps can exceed 1.5”. Tarantula hawk wasps possess a powerful sting, which it uses to subdue its tarantula spider prey.The Tarantula Hawk. These are one of the larger wasps in the world with females getting up to two inches in length and having large blue-black muscular bodies with bright orange wings. Quite a sight to behold! The males have straight antennae, while the females have curved. Don’t rely on that as they can straighten them out.The diabolical tarantula hawks wasp drags the helpless spider underground and then lays eggs on its abdomen. Once it's done, the tarantula hawk wasp leaves the nest and covers the hole, burying that spider alive. It doesn't take long for the true horror to start for the tarantula. He eggs hatch on the spider's body and the larvae immediately ...Biology. For most people a single bee or wasp sting is one too many. But University of Arizona entomologist Justin Schmidt is a dramatic exception: By his own estimation he has been stung more ...Other articles where tarantula hawk is discussed: spider wasp: …best-known spider wasps are the tarantula hawks (Pepsis), steel-blue-bodied insects with orange wings; some of the largest members of the family belong to this genus. Especially common in the southwestern United States, they provision their nests with trapdoor spiders and tarantulas and often attack spiders many times their own ... In the world of horrifyingly painful stinging creatures, the tarantula hawk ranks so high that the actual scientific advice if you're stung is to lie down and scream. Dandy if you're a human, but ...Tarantula hawk wasps in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis are conspicuous elements of Southwestern U. S. and the Neotropics where they often appear oblivious to potential predators while they actively forage for nectar or search for prey. Tarantula hawks produce large quantities of venom and their stings produce immediate, intense, …These wasps require a tarantula to serve as a host or 'meal" for their larvae. The female wasp will look for a burrow that contains a tarantula and then disturb the webbing around the burrow to coax the tarantula to come out. She stings the tarantula on its underside paralyzing it and drags it down into a burrow. Spider wasp, any insect of the family Pompilidae, also known as Psammocharidae (order Hymenoptera). They are distributed throughout most of the world.Genus Pepsis - Tarantula-hawk Wasps. Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · …Learn about the tarantula hawk, a wasp that captures and eats live tarantulas in the Southwest. Find out how they live, feed, mate, and defend themselves from …Tarantula Hawk Characteristics. The scientific name of the Tarantula Hawk is Pepsis thisbe. Tarantula hawks are one of the largest species of wasps as they can grow up to 5 cm or 2 inches in length. They usually have dark blue/black bodies with brown wings. The vivid colors on the wasp’s body is an example of aposematism which is a biological ... .