Priocnemis oregona
This is a spider hunting wasp that specializes in burrowing spiders like the trap door spider. It is hunting within an Andrena Bee nesting aggregation that covers roughly 4 acres of land. It enters the scene from the top of the frame about 1/4 of the way in from the right hand corner, travels in a roundabout fashion to the top Andrena nest hole and dives in looking for a spider. I don't know what happened down there, but it looks like the Wasp is struggling to escape. When it does it runs around a bit and looks in another Bee hole. this time it doesn't stay long and leaves the frame under the cover of grass.
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Ground Crab Spiders (Genus Xysticus)Observer
little_mousieDescription
Waiting at the nest entrance of an Andrena Bee nest hole
Photos / Sounds
What
Priocnemis oregonaObserver
little_mousieDescription
Screen caps from a clip I recorded
Comments
I wonder if the bee(s) put up a fight? Or maybe a big spider? Interesting to imagine. I did see a spider in an Amegilla hole in Fiji--and I wondered if they had worked out a deal. I did post that bee here somewhere. The spider moved out of the burrow to let the bee enterr, then I think it put it's backed into place again.
Amazing! How large is the wasp?
@beespeaker I think the wasp was about 3 cm +/- the size of the smaller Andrena. The few things I've seen are real specific about hunting spiders so I am wondering why it went into a bee hole. That Andrena was probably honey bee sized.
The part that really amazes me is that it went in a 2nd bee hole so soon after just escaping with it's life from the first.
@wenatcheeb I have seen crab spider at the tops of bee holes, I'll see if I can add it to this entry. I don't know if they go down inside the bees nest though. There is an all black relative of this wasp I see regularly when waiting for a bee to come out or come back from foraging. Mostly chasing wolf spiders and jumping spiders. Some of it feels like the Wasp is following the silk trail most spiders leave behind as they go. If a spider crossed the bee hole and the bee broke the strand re-entering it's nest then maybe that fooled the wasp into inspecting the bees nest?
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