MOJAVE DESERT TARANTULA HAWK WASP (Pepsis, F) - 65+mm SPAN w/ NATURAL WEAR

Description

HUNTED AND FIELD-COLLECTED BY NET
IN THE MOJAVE DESERT
OF
NYE COUNTY, NEVADA, USA
TARANTULA HAWK
(Pepsis species, FEMALE)
THIS IS A FIELD-COLLECTED SPECIMEN OF A
FEMALE TARANTULA HAWK
(Pepsis species)
FROM THE MOJAVE DESERT IN SOUTHERN NEVADA'S NYE COUNTY. UNMOUNTED AND KEPT MOIST WITH ALCOHOL, IT HAS NEVER BEEN DRIED.
THE BODY IS FULL AND
HAS NICE COLORING WITH THE BLUE IRIDESCENCE ON THE BLACK.
ITS STINGER IS PARTIALLY EXTENDED.
ITS
BODY IS AROUND 35mm LONG,
AND ITS WINGSPAN IS ABOUT 65+
mm.
NOTE:
THE WINGS HAVE A LOT OF CONSISTENT NATURAL WEAR
ALL ALONG THE EDGES, AS SHOWN.
WINGS GET WORN LIKE THIS FROM FOLIAGE, BATTLES WITH TARANTULAS, EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES, ETC., AND
THIS WASP HAS BEEN ACTIVE QUITE A BIT.
*** THIS SPECIMEN MAY NOT BE THAT GREAT FOR A FULL-SPREAD MOUNTED SPECIMEN USED IN A
DISPLAY,
BUT IT IS PERFECT FOR A
DIORAMA IN WHICH THE T-HAWK HAS ITS WINGS FOLDED BEHIND IT.
FEMALE TARANTULA HAWKS WILL
SEARCH THE DESERT FLOOR FOR A TARANTULA. WHEN ONE IS FOUND, SHE WILL ATTACK AND
STING ITS SOFT UNDERBELLY, THUS PARALYZING IT, THEN DRAGS IT BACK TO HER NESTING BURROW WHERE
AN EGG IS ATTACHED TO ITS BODY.
WHEN THE LARVA HATCHES, IT CREATES A HOLE IN THE SPIDER'S ABDOMEN, ENTERS, THEN STARTS TO CONSUME ITS
STILL-LIVING BUT PARALYZED HOST, AVOIDING ITS VITAL ORGANS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
TARANTULA HAWKS ARE NOT AGGRESSIVE BY NATURE TO HUMAN BEINGS, BUT IF UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO BE STUNG BY ONE, A PERSON WILL DEFINITELY REMEMBER THE EXPERIENCE. A FEMALE TARANTULA HAWK HAS WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST PAINFUL STING OF ANY INSECT IN THE U.S., AND SECOND-MOST PAINFUL IN THE
WORLD
.
PLEASE CHECK ALL PICTURES PROVIDED
SOME SHADOWS ARE PRESENT DUE TO THE FLASH
SHIPPING
:
.50, FIRST CLASS PACKAGE RATE
INCLUDES TRACKING INFORMATION
STILL-MOIST SPECIMEN IS SHIPPED
IN A SEALED PLASTIC
CONTAINER.
I COMBINE INSECT, SPIDER & SCORPION SHIPMENTS AT VERY LITTLE OR NO EXTRA CHARGE
PAYMENT
:
PAYPAL -
PAYMENT IS DUE
WITHIN 3 DAYS AFTER AUCTION ENDS
OTHER FORMS OF PAYMENT ARE AVAILABLE
ANY QUESTIONS? JUST ASK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST,
thebughunter