Knowledgebase
Tarantula hawk in Eugene #767100
Asked August 12, 2021, 3:29 PM EDT
Lane County Oregon
Expert Response
Nice pictures. It's not a tarantula hawk (since we are not supposed to have tarantulas this far north), but another member of the same wasp family - the Pompilidae. It is probably Calopompilus pyrrhomelas, which looks similar to the tarantula hawks in the genus Pepsis.
Calopompilus pyrrhomelas preys on another large spider - the folding trap door spiders in the genus Antrodiaetus. These spiders can be common but the trap door on their burrows keep them well hidden. Here's a little more info on them: https://shannonbowleynature.com/2015/05/05/antrodiaetus-pacificus-the-lurkers-of-the-pacific-northwest/.
The wasps are not aggressive and do not sting unless they are being handled.