Tarantula Hawk (wasp)

Description:

I found this huge tarantula hawk (wasp) drinking from an irrigation run off. This is my very first spotting ever of one of these huge wasps. Near Caspers Recreational Area, Orange County, CA

Habitat:

From Wiki: The female tarantula hawk captures, stings, and paralyzes the spider, then either drags her prey back into her own burrow or transports it to a specially prepared nest, where a single egg is laid on the spider’s abdomen, and the entrance is covered. When the wasp larva hatches, it creates a small hole in the spider's abdomen, then enters the spider's abdomen and feeds voraciously, avoiding vital organs for as long as possible to keep the spider alive. After several weeks, the larva pupates. Finally, the wasp becomes an adult, and emerges from the spider's abdomen. The wasp emerges from the nest to continue the life cycle.