Spider for tea

If you look where you're walking, the heathland is alive with insects. Chris Packham finds a spider-hunting wasp carrying its prey. The wasp has paralysed a spider and is dragging it to its burrow. The reason that it is only paralysed is that the wasp will lay an egg on the spider and when the egg hatches the spider will be its meal. A second wasp spots the first and they fight over the spider. Until the wasp gets the spider back to her burrow, she's vulnerable - and it's not an easy journey. She rests the spider on some grass while she checks the burrow is big enough for it. When she's happy she retrieves the spider and drags it back to lay that egg. Mission accomplished. This behaviour can only happen in the dry, sandy soil typical of the Brecks.

Release date: 26 Jan 2012

2 minutes


Role Contributor
PresenterChris Packham
PresenterMike Dilger
PresenterSanjida O'Connell
DirectorJonathan Bigwood
ProducerJane French
ProducerRichard Taylor-Jones
ProducerPaul Baker
ProducerPaul Greenan

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