When I saw this big bad boy fly by my head in Anza Borrego, it screamed “Danger, Danger Will Robinson.”

I tried to get a picture of it, but it was flying by me and I was doing this crazy dance trying to keep out of its way. I tried to locate it in my Bug Book, but couldn’t find anything that looked quite right.

It was a customer that came into the store talking about a Tarantula Wasp, with one of the most painful stings known, that had me really paying attention. He mentioned bright Orange Wings – Bingo! I thought and looked it up online.

This wasp lays its eggs inside of the tarantula so they have a little food when they hatch. (Can anyone say Aliens.) The pain of the sting is supposed to last only three or so minutes, but apparently it shuts you down so fast you run around screaming for your Mama.

On the Schmidt Sting Index (Schmidt sounds like an idiot, but I guess I have to thank him for taking a sting for the team) the Tarantula Hawk Sting is second to that of  a Bullet ant. I’m just going to take this guys word for it.

So if you head out to areas with tarantulas watch out for this little guy.