Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Snackus Interruptus

amber-spider

Sometimes even the best plans  go awry.  The spider above was about to eat a wasp it had caught in its web when they were both encased in amber.  Scientists estimate that happened somewhere between 97 and 110 million years ago.  They also say that, although there are lots of amber chunks with bugs in them, this one is the first containing an interspecies attack.

Both the spider and wasp are from species that are extinct today. but the wasp  belongs to a group whose current members are known to parasitize spider eggs.  Revenge, it is said, is a dish best served cold, and 100 million years is about as cold as it gets.

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