Montana’s Creepiest Predator: A Nightmare for Spiders
BUTTE, MT - Ever wonder what spiders are afraid of?
You’d think with their creepy legs, venom, and web-spinning prowess, they’d be the ones ruling the insect kingdom, right? Seriously, what bug in its right mind would want to eat a spider?
Enter the spider wasp, an overpowered predator that turns the tables on our eight-legged friends (yes, we like spiders) in a way that’s eerily similar to something out of a sci-fi horror movie.
In fact, if you’ve seen the Alien franchise, you’ll notice a few terrifying parallels...
The Spider Wasp: Montana’s Very Own Xenomorph
Spider wasps, or Pompilidae, are not your typical buzzing insects. These sleek, fearsome predators have a life cycle straight out of a horror film. Much like the facehugger from Alien that implants an embryo inside its host, the spider wasp immobilizes a spider with its venom, dragging the poor creature into its lair to serve as a living food supply for its larvae.
That’s right: this wasp isn't content with just a quick kill. Instead, it stings a spider, paralyzing it, but leaving it alive. Then it lays a single egg on the paralyzed body. When that egg hatches, the larva will feast on the still-living spider from the inside out.
This is probably a good place to throw out a "Rest in peace" to our friend, Kane.
Where You’ll Find These Lovecraftian Beasts
In Montana, you might stumble across a spider wasp while hiking or in your own backyard.
They tend to inhabit areas with plenty of spiders to hunt, which is pretty much every square inch of Montana. Though they prefer to go after bigger spiders like tarantulas in other regions, in Montana, common prey includes wolf spiders and orb-weavers.
They’re solitary creatures so you won’t find a nest full of these horrors, but the occasional encounter is enough to make any spider nervous (along with us humans).
Should Humans Be Worried?
While the spider wasp’s prey is rightly terrified, what about us?
Luckily for humans, spider wasps aren’t particularly aggressive unless provoked. Their sting is reportedly one of the most painful insect stings out there (though more forgiving than a facehugger), but they’ll only use it in self-defense. If you spot one, just steer clear and let it get back to its nightmare-fueling spider hunt.
If you’re a spider, well... better start running.
Spider Wasps vs. Spiders: The Eternal Battle
Montana’s spider wasps might not be as terrifying as the Xenomorph (at least for us humans), but for spiders, they’re the ultimate nightmare. While spiders are often the stuff of our own fears and phobias, it’s oddly satisfying to know they have their own predator to fear.
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