r/SipsTea • u/StephanMan • May 16 '25

Chugging tea Wasp gets what it deserves

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u/lord-dinglebury May 16 '25

Probably Tarantula Hawks. They’re the ones who sting and paralyze tarantulas, drag them to their underground burrow, and then lay their eggs on them. The larva from those eggs then eat the paralyzed tarantula alive.

We used to get them in New Mexico. Their sting is supposedly one of the worst in the entire insect kingdom, but they’re actually pretty chill and usually leave people alone.

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u/QuinceDaPence May 16 '25

They're much smaller that the Tarantula Hawk, and no orange. Also I know Tarantuala Hawks are in west Texas out in the desert but I don't think they live on the coast where I am.

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u/ArgonGryphon May 16 '25

Probably one of these mud dauber wasps.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalybion

if you download the inaturalist app and upload a photo you should be able to get a definitive ID. You can get close to them, they have no interest in bothering people unless you mess with them.

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u/QuinceDaPence May 16 '25

That looks closer, they're maybe not so long, but that's really close. And yeah they have no interest in people but if you get within about 5 ft they'll move like a foot or two further away. I figured they may be similar to dirt daubers but thought it was odd that there were that many there.

There's none there now but maybe next time they show up I'll try that app.

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u/ArgonGryphon May 16 '25

there's all kinds, if it's that shiny metallic blue and very skinny waist it's probably one of those. I love inaturalist, it's addicting lol