Throughout Australia, a tiny wasp stings and paralyzes redback spiders before laying an egg that develops into a larva and slowly devours the dangerous arachnids, Australian researchers have announced.
The find is good news for Australians watching out for the redbacks, a type of spider whose bite can potentially be lethal.
The wasp was first described scientifically in 1775 by a Danish entomologist, thanks to samples collected in 1768 in Australia by Captain James Cook. But since then, "scientists have largely forgotten about the wasp," said professor Andy Austin, a researcher at Australia's University of Adelaide, in a statement.
Continued: http://www.livescience.com/23089-spider-hunting-wasp.html
The find is good news for Australians watching out for the redbacks, a type of spider whose bite can potentially be lethal.
The wasp was first described scientifically in 1775 by a Danish entomologist, thanks to samples collected in 1768 in Australia by Captain James Cook. But since then, "scientists have largely forgotten about the wasp," said professor Andy Austin, a researcher at Australia's University of Adelaide, in a statement.
Continued: http://www.livescience.com/23089-spider-hunting-wasp.html
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