Daughter and I have watched a bug (wasp?) drag a rather large huntsman/wolf
spider across the grass to a hole in the ground near the path. The spider
was fully paralized and the bug even left it briefly on the path while it
checked out it's hole. I imagine it will be used as a breeding object for
the bugs.
The wasp? was very bright orange but didn't seem to have a large stinger. It
could hang on to the spider and drag it.
Anyone have an idea of what it might be? I am in Melbourne.

Liz

This might be it
http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/spider_wasps.htm

"Staycalm" wrote in message
...
Daughter and I have watched a bug (wasp?) drag a rather large
huntsman/wolf spider across the grass to a hole in the ground near the
path. The spider was fully paralized and the bug even left it briefly on
the path while it checked out it's hole. I imagine it will be used as a
breeding object for the bugs.
The wasp? was very bright orange but didn't seem to have a large stinger.
It could hang on to the spider and drag it.
Anyone have an idea of what it might be? I am in Melbourne.

Liz

Actually - more like this:
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisb...SpiderWasp.htm

"Staycalm" wrote in message
...
Daughter and I have watched a bug (wasp?) drag a rather large
huntsman/wolf spider across the grass to a hole in the ground near the
path. The spider was fully paralized and the bug even left it briefly on
the path while it checked out it's hole. I imagine it will be used as a
breeding object for the bugs.
The wasp? was very bright orange but didn't seem to have a large stinger.
It could hang on to the spider and drag it.
Anyone have an idea of what it might be? I am in Melbourne.

Liz

Staycalm wrote:
Daughter and I have watched a bug (wasp?) drag a rather large huntsman/wolf
spider across the grass to a hole in the ground near the path. The spider
was fully paralized and the bug even left it briefly on the path while it
checked out it's hole. I imagine it will be used as a breeding object for
the bugs.
The wasp? was very bright orange but didn't seem to have a large stinger. It
could hang on to the spider and drag it.
Anyone have an idea of what it might be? I am in Melbourne.

Had something similar recently.
Similar description. It had snipped the legs off the huntsman.
Funny thing was it was actually dragging it 5' up the side of a covered
stand in the back garden.

"Staycalm" wrote in message
u...
Actually - more like this:
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisb...SpiderWasp.htm

Well that would have been my suggestion... or
http://www.csiro.au/resources/ps1c5.html

There are a few different spider wasps here .... hymenoptera I think
.... and I'd have more info if DH hadn't swiped my copy of "Wildlife of
Greater Brisbane" and taken it to work with him (a friend of mine wrote the
section on wasps and I'm sure spider wasps are covered really well in that
book).

I believe there is a similar publication for Melbourne:
http://www.unireps.com.au/isbn/0643092544.htm which, if its anything like
the Brisbane version, lets you ID local native animals really easily (and
with the sister book "Wild Plants of Greater Brisbane" most local native
plants are also covered).

Amanda