Mud Wasps (Sphecidae, Pompilidae)

Mud wasps are solitary wasps which build their nest in the form of a tube of mud. This is then provisioned with insects or spiders which are stung, paralysing the prey rather than killing it. Eggs are then laid on the paralysed prey, and hatching larvae consume the fresh prey and develop to adult wasps inside the mud nest. In contrast to social species such as European wasps and hornets, these wasps are generally not aggressive.