Giant wasp kills a TARANTULA with its lethal sting before carrying it off for her offspring to devour 'from the inside out' in her burrow

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These unnerving images capture the 'once-in-a-lifetime' sight of a giant wasp attacking and injecting powerful venom into a tarantula, paralysing its much larger eight-legged prey.

The arachnid was being targeted by a determined wasp, called a tarantula hawk, as part of her reproduction cycle, which uses the spider's body as a living host in which to incubate her larva – which eat it from the inside out.

The tarantula's desperate struggle to stay alive was witnessed by Lior Kestenberg, who was alerted to the fight while packing his bags during a trip to the mountains in Israel.

The large wasp and the tarantula battle, with the wasp coming out the victor after using her sting, on Mount Meron in Israel

The gruesome images show the tarantula hawk, a giant flying insect, at first hovering over the highly venomous spider, before trying to sting it

The winged insect can grow up to two inches in length as adults, while the spider – sometimes referred to as a 'black furry' – are normally twice that size

Upon hearing a peculiar sound coming from outside, the 21-year-old walked into the garden to see the massive black spider wrestling with a huge wasp, and dashed to get his camera and record the 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'.

The gruesome images show the tarantula hawk, a giant flying insect, at first hovering over the highly venomous spider.

Kestenberg, from Israel said: 'Someone who's less of an insect geek would have probably placed his bet on the tarantula.

The spider tries, unsuccessfully, to sink its fangs into the wasp, which refuses to give up, and is shown here again targeting the arachnid with her paralysing sting

The tarantula hawk delivers fast and accurate stings - the wasp's sting is considered to be among the most painful an insect can inflict

'It is larger, heavier and beefier, and it has two fangs packed with venom for killing its prey.

'In fact, this was the entire opposite. The wasp is the attacker here, and it's called a tarantula hawk for a reason.'

The winged insect can grow up to two inches in length as adults, while the spider – sometimes referred to as a 'black furry' – are normally twice that size.

More pictures capture the wasp as it avoids the spider's desperate biting attempts, and delivers several fast and accurate stings.

'The tarantula hawk sting is considered among the most painful an insect can inflict.

'For us two-legged mammals, being stung by this flying hunter results in excruciating pain, but for a spider it's much worse,' Kestenberg added.

He described how the wasp flew into the air while the spider – now completely paralysed – lay on its back with its legs folded, adding: 'I left the two for a few minutes and when I came back I couldn't find any evidence they were ever there.

'However, the wasp probably took the spider to a burrow she had prepared before, and this is where it gets really bad and rather freaky.'

According to Kestenberg, the wasp would not have been hunting the arachnid for herself but for her offspring.

The wasp would not have been hunting the arachnid for herself but for her offspring, as she will lay a single egg on its body, leaving it in a 'pit of paralysed despair', as a living host for her larva

Several weeks later, the larva will pupate and emerge from the pupae as a fully grown adult tarantula hawk ready to find its own tarantula, and repeat this incredible cycle

He added: 'She will place the spider securely inside the burrow, and then lay a single egg on its body.

'Having done her part, she will get out and seal the exit to this 'pit of paralysed despair' she has created.

'When the wasp larva hatches, it will chew its way inside the tarantula, to enjoy an all-you-can-eat spider buffet.

'It will feed on the spider's internal organs without disturbance, avoiding the vital ones as long as possible, keeping the spider alive for the entire time, so that it will remain fresh.

'Several weeks later, the larva will pupate and emerge from the pupae as a fully grown adult tarantula hawk ready to find its own tarantula, and repeat this incredible cycle.'