Parabatozonus lacerticida
Parabatozonus lacerticida is a species of the spider-hunting wasp of the family Pompilidae.
Description
Parabatozonus lacerticida can reach a length of in females and in males. These spider hunting wasps have a mainly black body with orange antennae, orange legs beginning at the apex of the femora, and yellow markings on the orbits, edge of the pronotum, scutum, scutellum, and terga 2-4 of the abdomen. The wings are orange, with a brownish band on the tips of the forewings.
Biology
This species hunts large orb weaver spiders in the genera Argiope and Araneus. Like other spider wasps, they paralyze these spiders with their venomous stings and drag them into their underground nests. Then they lay an egg into the abdomen of their prey.
Distribution
This species has a transpalearctic distribution and can be found across Europe as far west as Portugal, North Africa, and Asia as far east as Japan.