Video reveals brutal ‘David and Goliath’ battle between tarantula and wasp

DRAMATIC video has captured nature at its finest as a massive tarantula is locked in brutal battle with a hawk wasp half its size.

A TARANTULA has been captured on camera struggling to defend itself against a small wasp.

The tarantula hawk, a wasp that specifically hunts tarantulas, stings the spider repeatedly, leaving it paralysed and defenceless in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA.

Karen and Matthew Perry, from Tucson, Arizona, USA, captured the footage when travelling to the desert to hike with their children Cash and Cadence.

The tarantula was captured on camera struggling to defend itself against a creature half its size. Picture: Caters

They started filming as their son Cash, 9, took an interest in what was happening and documented it.

Cash said: “The tarantula hawk is trying to paralyse the tarantula so that it could drag it back to its burrow and lay an egg on its abdomen.

“When the egg hatches it feeds off the still living tarantula until it becomes an adult wasp, which takes about a month.

The tarantula hawk is a type of spider wasp that specifically hunts tarantulas, stings the spider repeatedly, leaving it paralysed and defenceless. Picture: Caters

“I wasn’t scared about the hawk paralysing me, as it was so focused on the tarantula so I knew it wasn’t going to sting me.

“Tarantula hawks will only sting you if they feel threatened by you, so if you leave them alone you’ll be fine.

“Even though they’re not lethal to humans the tarantula hawk’s sting is the second most painful sting in the insect kingdom.

Karen and Matthew Perry, from Tuscon, Arizona, captured the footage when travelling to the desert to hike with their children. Picture: Caters

“Tarantulas are pretty gentle and their bite is about as potent as a bee sting.

“I felt excited to see it in action — it’s not rare that it happens but it’s rare to get to see it happen right in front of you.”