I am sitting on the porch and a Daddy Long Legs walks toward me carrying a wasp under him. He stopped and attacked the wasp a little. Then my dog came over and tried picking them both up. Now the wasp is dead laying on the porch and the spider is on a plant about a foot away, I’m guessing looking over the situation.
Had no idea a daddy long legs could kill a wasp. Maybe I should stop killing them in the house.
There are a number of Spiders that are benefitable to keep in a home...........
Learn something every day on UHH. Thanks for the info. --Great shot
Possible? I suspect the wasp was a fall die-off victim, and the Daddy-long-legs is a scavenger that happened upon it, or was drawn by odor. They really have no heavy-duty weapons for attack, and many defend by foul odor, not useful in subduing such a strong prey. Their legs are so long they lose mechanical advantage, plus they break off easily. Most social wasps only have a few queens overwintering, the rest die at the start of cold weather, while others depend on the eggs and larvae in secure nests to survive, the parents dying off. A very nice record of behavior.
relbugman wrote:
Possible? I suspect the wasp was a fall die-off victim, and the Daddy-long-legs is a scavenger that happened upon it, or was drawn by odor. They really have no heavy-duty weapons for attack, and many defend by foul odor, not useful in subduing such a strong prey. Their legs are so long they lose mechanical advantage, plus they break off easily. Most social wasps only have a few queens overwintering, the rest die at the start of cold weather, while others depend on the eggs and larvae in secure nests to survive, the parents dying off. A very nice record of behavior.
Possible? I suspect the wasp was a fall die-off ... (
show quote)
I agree...they are harmless spiders.
jim quist wrote:
I am sitting on the porch and a Daddy Long Legs walks toward me carrying a wasp under him. He stopped and attacked the wasp a little. Then my dog came over and tried picking them both up. Now the wasp is dead laying on the porch and the spider is on a plant about a foot away, I’m guessing looking over the situation.
Great image Jim
I knew there was a reason I don't kill Daddy longlegs.
camshot
Loc: Peterborough ontario Canada
They are harmless, but I have read they have enough venom in them to kill a human, but can't administer it to us. You would not think they could kill a wasp, but the venom they carry will do it.
donrent wrote:
There are a number of Spiders that are benefitable to keep in a home...........
I think you mean beneficial
NMGal wrote:
Had no idea a daddy long legs could kill a wasp. Maybe I should stop killing them in the house.
You should absolutely stop killing any spiders. (Move them outdoors.)
They eat things we don't want around the house or garden; there's even a very small spider that eats ants.
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