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Incredible video shows wasp take on huntsman spider

A determined wasp has been caught on camera dragging a spider through an Adelaide backyard.

Video of the small insect's attempt shows its strength, as it hauls a huntsman from a concrete area to grass at a property in Mansfield Park.

Jace Watkins spotted the spectacle on Monday afternoon before running inside to grab his camera.

"We were playing out in the backyard and the huntsman fell from the roof... and that's when we saw the wasp come down and it started dragging it," Mr Watkins told Yahoo 7.

Mr Watkins filmed the footage on Monday afternoon. Source: Supplied, Jace Watkins
Mr Watkins filmed the footage on Monday afternoon. Source: Supplied, Jace Watkins

He said it was pretty exciting to see it unfolding.

"The kids screamed... I have a real fear of them (spiders) so to see that was pretty cool," Mr Watkins said.

But while it is fascinating, it is not uncommon.

Andrew Trevor-Jones, a visitor services officer at the Australian Museum told Yahoo 7 that the wasp doesn't actually kill the creepy crawly, but is able to pull it because she has paralysed it.

This behaviour is not uncommon. Source: Supplied, Jace Watkins
This behaviour is not uncommon. Source: Supplied, Jace Watkins

"She builds a nest around it or puts it in a nest that she's built earlier and she'll lay eggs inside it,"

"Then she'll seal up the nest and go on her way.

"And then the eggs will hatch and the larvae will eat the spider from the inside."

At the end of the short video clip the wasp flies away from its catch, but Mr Trevor-Jones says it is likely it was temporarily moving away from the person filming and won't leave the spider behind.

The spectacle was spotted in an Adelaide suburb. Source: Supplied, Jace Watkins
The spectacle was spotted in an Adelaide suburb. Source: Supplied, Jace Watkins

"It's not going to give up that spider after its gone to all that trouble," he explained.

And if they're struggling with their haul, they will use their initiative.

"Sometimes you'll see them rip the legs off if they're having trouble dragging it."

While most wasps have carnivorous larvae which feed on spiders or insects, seeing a small wasp hauling a bigger spider is still a sight which causes wonder.

"I see this a lot in my backyard. It's an amazing phenomenon of nature, those wasps are ruthless," one person wrote on Twitter.

Another said "....and people OS think that the huntsman spiders are scary!!!! We have spider eating wasps."