Predation record of the hornet Vespa basalis Smith, 1852 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) by the orb-weaver spider Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793) (Araneae: Araneidae)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.10162.18.7.29367-29369Keywords:
Black-bellied Hornet, Giant Golden Orb-weaving Spider, predator-prey relationship, spider-wasp interaction, VespinaeAbstract
We report a rare observation of Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793), a large orb-weaving spider, capturing and immobilizing Vespa basalis Smith, 1852, an aggressive hornet species. The predation event was documented at Dehradun Zoological Park, Uttarakhand, India, on 10 November 2024. This record expands the known prey spectrum of N. pilipes, which is typically associated with flying insects and occasionally small vertebrates. Our observation highlights the ability of N. pilipes to subdue formidable hymenopteran prey and contributes to understanding spider-hornet interactions in tropical ecosystems.
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