A wasp egg (Pison sp., Crabronidae) on a paralyzed spider.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Breaking open the sealed mud cell of a Pison mud wasp (Crabronidae) reveals a cache of paralyzed spiders. By not killing the spiders outright, the wasp's larvae can eat them before they start to rot.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
A Dipogon spider wasp drags a paralyzed spider back to the nest.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A Dipogon spider wasp drags a paralyzed spider back to the nest.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A Dipogon spider wasp with prey she has paralyzed.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A Dipogon spider wasp with prey she has paralyzed.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A Dipogon spider wasp with prey she has paralyzed.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A Dipogon spider wasp with prey she has paralyzed.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013