Nest-architect
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Sceliphron caementarium
Yellow-legged Mud-dauber Wasp, Black and Yellow Mud Dauber, Black-waisted Mud-dauber
Sceliphron caementarium is a solitary sphecid wasp renowned for constructing nests from mud. Females build multi-celled mud nests in sheltered locations, provision each cell with paralyzed spiders, and deposit a single egg before sealing the chamber. The species exhibits remarkable geographic plasticity, having established populations across multiple continents through human-mediated dispersal. Adults feed on nectar and are generally non-aggressive, with stings being rare.