I’m putting on a new hat today. This is my Nature Dog Hat so I can tell you about nature on my trails. But this post comes with a warning.
Warning: This post is about spiders and insects. If you’re squeamish (what’s that word?) don’t scroll down to the picture at the end.
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It’s really hard to get a picture of these bugs, but we found one walking along on the ground – right in my yard.
Normally they buzz right by us. Buzzing is right. They make a loud buzz when they fly by, and you get a glimpse of black and orange. Maybe they should be called Halloween bugs. Those are the official Halloween colors, aren’t they?
Once you hear what these bugs do, you’ll realize they fit right into that holiday. These bugs are mean.
They’re called tarantula hawks. They like tarantulas, but the feeling isn’t mutual.
You see, these hawk things – which are really wasps, look for tarantulas and when they find one they poke it with their stinger.
That tarantula plops over as if it’s dead, but it’s really only paralyzed.
Then that nasty tarantula hawk lays one single egg on the tarantula and buries the tarantula. When the egg hatches that nasty baby eats the tarantula, while keeping it alive as long as possible by saving the vital organs for dessert.
Then it flies away to do the same thing all over again with another poor, unsuspecting tarantula.
The tarantulas are starting to come out now. My person just saw the first one of the season.
Watch out, tarantula! Those tarantula hawks are looking for you.
bongodogblog 
ginnymiller22
August 1, 2013 at 10:33 am
too funny!
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Thanks Ginny. And thanks for stopping by and commenting.
marina kanavaki
August 1, 2013 at 10:44 am
Ok, this has got to be the first time I feel compassion about those poor tarantulas!!!! Evil creatures those Halloween bugs!! BTW I love the new hat!!
🙂 Happy August, Bongo!
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:11 pm
Thanks Marina. Tarantulas are kind of cool. They’re very gentle – at least the ones here. Those Halloween bugs aren’t though. My person read that they have the most painful sting ever. August is good. It means thunder season is halfway over.
PigLove
August 1, 2013 at 11:01 am
Shivers to mergatroid! Please be careful Bongo – it looks like those crawly critters could take off with you! On the upside, I do love your hat. Just think how many unsuspecting people you can jump out at when they can’t see you from wearing that gorgeous hat? Insert evil pig snort. XOXO – Bacon
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Bacon, I hadn’t thought of that. This hat will make good camouflage. Maybe I can sneak up on some pesky squirrels or neighborhood cats.
PigLove
August 1, 2013 at 6:38 pm
I like the way you think. Snort giggles. XOXO – Bacon
Two French Bulldogs
August 1, 2013 at 11:33 am
Cool hat! Tarantula! Holy crap
Benny & Lily
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Thanks Benny and Lily. Tarantulas come out in August around here. They’re really harmless.
Gizmo
August 1, 2013 at 12:12 pm
These are fascinating Bongo…I shared your post with a good friend who has wasps that eat her butterfly cocoons…Thank you for the nature lesson
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Gizmo, those wasps can be nasty creatures. Thanks for sharing my post with your friend.
dogdaz
August 1, 2013 at 12:21 pm
Gross but really interesting. Love the hat.
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Thanks Dogdaz. Nature seems to be full of gross but interesting things.
Genevieve Petrillo
August 1, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Yikes, B. All of those pictures were gnarly – except the one of your new hat. That’s awesome!!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Thanks Cupcake. We’re in the high desert here, so I guess gnarly comes with the territory.
Patricia
August 1, 2013 at 12:52 pm
I am not one that has interest in bugs but this was very informative. Thanks, Bongo. I don’t think I will be visiting any time soon.
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Patrica, just don’t come in August. That’s when the tarantulas are out and about. And the thunder.
philosophermouseofthehedge
August 1, 2013 at 3:40 pm
WOW. You live in a wild kingdom!
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:17 pm
Karen, it really is a wild kingdom here. My person says I’m lucky that most of the big creatures come out at night because I’d be tempted to chase them.
Mags Corner
August 1, 2013 at 4:31 pm
That is one cool nature hat sweet Bongo. We really enjoyed your nature pictures. Hugs and nose kisses
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:18 pm
Thanks Mag and Chancy. Hugs and nose kisses back to you.
To Shea
August 1, 2013 at 5:13 pm
WE dont like bugs in general Bongo…They scare us here on Long Island and most of the time, they cause us all kinds of problems….Sorry Bongo… 😦
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:19 pm
Alex, Penny, and Trish, the only bugs that really bother us here are the no see ums that buzz around and bite. Fortunately they’re only around about one month a year.
Andie Duncan
August 1, 2013 at 5:15 pm
My skin is crawling, but I’d still like to nominate you for The Versatile Blogger Award! You can find the details here at http://wp.me/p3swsV-61. Congratulations!
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Thanks so much for the award Andie. And thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Kuruk
August 1, 2013 at 7:35 pm
Bongo, I like buggies! Woooowooooo, Ku
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 11:26 pm
Ku, I’m so glad you’re with me on this. Most people are getting the willies from these bugs. I think they’re kind of cool.
tylersat99
August 1, 2013 at 10:31 pm
Mom hates all bugs she is terrified of tarantula’s! The tarantula hawk sounds really creepy and mean, what it does is really gross hope we never see that bug. Hope none of them will hurt you or Mom:(
Bongo
August 1, 2013 at 11:28 pm
Lexie and Mica, the tarantula hawks definitely can be pretty creepy and mean but they aren’t interested in me or my person. They just buzz on by and ignore us. Tarantulas don’t do much at all except walk along sometimes. They’re really pretty gentle.
susank456
August 2, 2013 at 12:49 am
Great picture of the tarantula, you are much braver than me! I would have run screaming in the other direction.
Bongo
August 2, 2013 at 8:10 pm
Thanks Susan. Tarantulas are pretty gentle. The don’t attack.
Nightshade
August 2, 2013 at 1:39 am
Yikes! Tarantulas!! Not so good with my fear of spiders…
Bongo
August 2, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Nightshade, that’s why I posted the warning. Although those tarantulas are really gentle – not like a lot of other spiders. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
eripanwkevin
August 2, 2013 at 7:46 am
*gasps* OMD! Tarantula!!! ….I was thinking if I scrolled down to the picture at the end…but my curiosity was much more than my fear…so I decided to read and saw all the pictures!
Very interesting post….I didn’t know anything about tarantula hawks, but they sound like they are much stronger than tarantula even though they are less bigger than those tarantulas.
Yes.. that tarantula hawks looks very mean to me! Are they harmless to dogs or to humans? or they bothe are venomous?
Bongo
August 2, 2013 at 8:56 pm
Kevin, my person read an article about a person who was letting himself get stung by different insects to see which was the most painful. He said the tarantula hawk sting was the most painful but it only hurt for about three minutes. My person has never heard of anyone accidentally getting stung by one. Mostly when we see them they’re buzzing by. My person did watch a video of a tarantula hawk wrestling with a tarantula. They get the tarantulas turned over so they can sting their abdomen.
eripanwkevin
August 3, 2013 at 7:24 am
Wow…..that person who had the experiment about the pain of insects must be really brave!!! Hmmm… then Tarantula hawks seems to like only tarantula…..oh no…poor tarantula…
Thank you very much for this very interesting post, Bongo! 🙂
idiotprufs
August 2, 2013 at 10:55 am
Creepy.
Bongo
August 2, 2013 at 8:58 pm
Idiotprufs, we’ll be seeing more creepy things around this time of year.
angelswhisper2011
August 2, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Bongo, you look real cool with a bush on your head 😀 The tarantula looks very soft, but to be honest, we’re glad it doesn’t live near to us… 🙂
Bongo
August 2, 2013 at 9:07 pm
Thanks Little Binky. That tarantula actually is soft. They’re not like other spiders. They’re really gentle.
kolytyi
August 4, 2013 at 5:55 am
OMG, Bongo, if I had known that I was squeamish, I neither did scroll down to the picture at the end nor read your explanations. That is pure horror! I hope that neither you nor your person are in danger from those creatures on your trails!
Bongo
August 4, 2013 at 12:41 pm
Kolytyi, the tarantula hawks usually just ignore us an buzz by. The tarantulas are really very gentle. They just walk along slowly or hang out where they are.
jaxart4animals
August 5, 2013 at 11:30 am
Wow! That is really interesting. I never knew such bugs existed.
Bongo
August 5, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Jackie, we seem to have all kinds of strange creatures around here.
colliesofthemeadow
August 11, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Wow! How do I get one of those for a pet? I can use that to terrorize the cats and the collies here and take all their food! Muwahahaha
_Ginger
Bongo
August 11, 2013 at 1:51 pm
Ginger, come on over for a visit and we’ll go out tarantula hunting. August is when we usually see them out and about.