Dicromantispa interrupta

Wow!

Holy crap, this is good. Nice clear, sharp images too. Lots of obvious dedication here, Jeff!

Bobby, you'll probably get better suggestions from Jeff and/or your documentation search than from me, but if you keep an eye out for the egg sacs of Phidippus clarus and Argiope aurantia you'll likely find similar life histories to record. Both are built out in the open, and are often heavily parasitized. Aurantia sacs may contain up to around 1,000 eggs(1). (from memory; need to doublecheck)

If you don't mind thinking small, real small, similar relationships can be found in your nearest aphid colony:

… Jay Barnes, 21 August, 2007 - 1:51pm

#138288 Identification - Dicromantispa interrupta (female)

This is the mantispid Dicromantispa interrupta (Say, 1825).

… John D. Oswald, 21 August, 2007 - 9:11am

I don't know my mandtidflies,

but I wanted to say that this series is terrific.

… Bobby Grizzard, 21 August, 2007 - 12:03am

Thank

you, Bobby.
If you or anyone else is interested, complete development series here.

… Jeff Hollenbeck, 21 August, 2007 - 12:18am

very cool

I have seen a mantidfly or two on my porch. I originally assumed they were there for the same reason as the many spiders: to catch small prey attracted to the light. However, that was before I learned that mantidflies choose spiders as hosts...

Are all spiders fair game? I am going to start looking closely at egg sacs.

… Bobby Grizzard, 21 August, 2007 - 2:05am

I already thought this series was

exceptionally cool, but didn't know what was going on - I still don't, but your commentary has let me know I need to go research, Bobby!

*returning from research* - Cool! And Bobby, I just read the following:
"Mantidfly larvae are specialists and attack only a single species or several closely related species of spiders."
Last sentence of the third paragraph: http://animals.jrank.org/pages/2451/Antlions-Lacewings-Relatives-Neuroptera-BEHAVIOR-REPRODUCTION.html

… Ashley Bradford, 21 August, 2007 - 10:01am