Huge Wasp dragging a Tarantula - Slow Motion

Here in Quito, Ecuador, I saw this event happen twice, where this giant wasp-type creature had beaten a tarantula in mortal combat and was dragging it home. Somewhere I ran across a reference that the tarantula is not dead, but rather poisoned-stunned and that the wasp lays its eggs inside the still-living tarantula back at its den. Babies hatch and devour the tarantula from inside out. That's my shoe (on my foot). I put it in the wasp's path for scale. I didn't expect the wasp to climb on board! Scared the bejeezus out of me, hence the shaky end to the video! videographer: Luke Stollings For a great video of a battle between these two species, see    • Video   tags: "tarantula hawk" matacaballos spider wasp tarantula giant