The Mexican Redknee Tarantula's Predators
Mexican redknee tarantulas may fight with and kill one another when competing for resources. Females may consume males after mating. These tarantulas also fall prey to lizards, snakes and some birds. However, the biggest threat to the Mexican redknee tarantula is the pepsis wasp. Pepsis wasps grow up to two inches long, making them larger than most wasps. They have blueish-black bodies and rust-colored wings.
Also known as tarantula hawks, adult pepsis wasps feed on plant nectar. They seek tarantula burrows and vibrate their bodies in mimicry of prey. When the tarantula emerges from its burrow to investigate, the pepsis wasp stings the tarantula and lays her eggs inside the immobilized arachnid's body. The tarantula remains alive and paralyzed until wasp larvae hatch and begin to feed upon it.
