Tarantula Hawk and Prey

You can barely see the Tarantula Hawk (far left) in this image

When Becca and I took our first shade break this morning we saw a huge female Tarantula Hawk flying near a specific spot on the ground.  Closer examination revealed a small Tarantula that had undoubtedly been stung by the wasp (second most painful sting of any insect worldwide).  The "hawk" lays its egg on the spider and the larva, when hatched, feeds on the arachnid.  An article I read about Tarantula Hawks suggested that males, who don't hunt, often get intoxicated on fermented fruit then hang out on high branches waiting for sexually-receptive females to fly by.  Typical males.

The "hawk's" prey:  a small Tarantula

A flowering Allthorn Bush

Happy to be in the foothills

One hot dog taking a shade break

Green as a result of recent rains (but we need much more)

The Franklin Mountains near El Paso in the distance

Flycatchers were everywhere this morning