Stats

Lifespan

A few months

Size

Large

Diet

Carnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Desert

Range

North America

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Venom

Status

Uncommon

About

This large wasp patrols arid scrublands and deserts across the American Southwest. It paralyzes tarantulas with a sting and drags them into burrows to serve as food for its larvae.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Pompilidae

Genus

Pepsis

Species

Pepsis thisbe