Tachypompilus analis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Tachypompilus analis, the red-tailed spider wasp is a species of spider wasp found in most of tropical and subtropical Asia, north to Japan. These spider wasps often hunt huntsman spiders. T. analis is a medium-sized to large wasp with females in mainland China measuring between 16 and 21 mm, while the smaller males measure 11 mm in length; island populations tend to be smaller. It is almost completely black except for the last four, in females, or last five, in males, metasomal segments, which are bright orange or red and give rise to the common name, red-tailed spider wasp.
T. anailis preys on spiders from the families Sparassidae, Agelenidae, and Amaurobiidae. In Japan, Heteropoda venatoria has been recorded being preyed on by this species. The wasp can easily penetrate the most complex webs and the prey is flushed and pursued; the web does provide some protection for the spider, but the wasp persists in attacking until the spider drops out of the web to the ground, where the wasp stings and paralyses the spider. Once captured, the prey is dragged backwards by its pedipalps, sometimes leaving the prey to inspect either the route or the nest at which... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Asian Red-Tailed Spider Wasp sighting in Kolkata on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 193rd most-seen of the 213 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, March–May and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Asian Red-Tailed Spider Wasp in Kolkata on a given day, against under 5% in February, June–August and October–December, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Asian Red-Tailed Spider Wasp sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 7 cities where we can rate Asian Red-Tailed Spider Wasp sightings, Kolkata ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Tuen Mun (China, about 10%).
Same order: Hymenoptera
The closest relatives of the Asian Red-Tailed Spider Wasp that you can see in Kolkata (order Hymenoptera, Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies) are Arboreal Bicolored Slender Ant (about 20%), Asian Weaver Ant (about 20%) and Giant Honey Bee (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Asian Red-Tailed Spider Wasp is recorded against all the insects logged in Kolkata (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
