Cryptocheilus bicolor (Orange Spider Wasp)Cryptocheilus bicolor Prey
Known as the Spider Hunting Wasp (Cryptocheilus bicolor), it is no surprise to see this wasp dragging its prey back to the nest (usually a hole in the ground). A large spider wasp from the family Pompilidae, it is a striking orange and black coloured wasp, hence the other common name of Orange Spider Wasp.
In the following series of photographs taken at Thomsons Lake in Western Australia, you can see a female Cryptocheilus bicolor dragging its paralysed prey, a Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus spp), back to the nest chamber where it will lay an egg with the body of the spider.
The following Orange Spider Wasp (Cryptocheilus bicolor) with prey (Desert Huntsman, Isopedella inola) was taken at Palm Valley in the Finke Gorge National Park, Northern Territory. To see more images, check out our Finke Gorge National Park > Fauna > Orange Spider Wasp.
Footnote & References
- Photographs: Female Cryptocheilus bicolor with Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus spp) © Ben Clark, Insects of Perth & South West Western Australia, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/925620167561301
- cloudtogroundimages by Ben Clark, Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/cloudtogroundimages/
- cloudtogroundimages by Ben Clark, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/cloudtogroundimages/
- Orange Spider Wasp (Cryptocheilus bicolor) and (Desert Huntsman, Isopedella inola), 2010 © Greg Sully
Cryptocheilus bicolor (Orange Spider Wasp)Cryptocheilus bicolor Prey
WaspsWasps Index Australian Large Wasps Australian Mud Nest Wasps Mud Wasp Velvet Ants Abispa ephippium Acarozumia amaliae Aulacidae Australodynerus Bembix Bembicinae Blue Hairy Flower Wasp Braconidae Chrysididae Cryptocheilus bicolor (Orange Spider Wasp) Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Eumeninae Ferreola handschini (Orange-collared Spider Wasp) Flower Wasps Gasteruptiid Wasp Hairy Flower Wasps Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp) Lissopimpla excelsa (Orchid Dupe Wasp) Mutillidae Paralastor sp. Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Radumeris tasmaniensis (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Sceliphron laetum Thynnid Wasps Tiphiidae Yellow and Black Wasp
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