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Photo#1740090
Paper Wasp preys on Spider - Polistes dominula - female

Paper Wasp preys on Spider - Polistes dominula - Female
Alviso EEC, Santa Clara County, California, USA
August 19, 2018
While observing wasps, bees, flies and spiders in the butterfly garden at Alviso EEC, I happened to see a European Paper Wasp abruptly cease her foraging in the buckwheat and fly straight into a spider’s web. My initial impression that the spider had made a serious error was disabused when I saw through my lens that the wasp had, in fact, attacked the spider and that it was the spider that was doomed. I will post four shots in this sequence.

At time t=0, wasp hits spider; at t=2 seconds, this shot, #1.

I believe the spider is a Long-jawed Orbweaver.

Images of this individual: tag all
Paper Wasp preys on Spider - Polistes dominula - female Paper Wasp preys on Spider - Polistes dominula - female Paper Wasp preys on Spider - Polistes dominula - female Paper Wasp preys on Spider - Polistes dominula - female