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