relbugman Loc: MD/FL/CA/SC

Great photo. I think the dauber got mixed up and caught a Leprechaun as well.

There are a number of building methods among the various species. Some build long, multi-cell tubes with herringbone patterns of mud layers alternating sides. These are very efficient, one load per mud-line. Others seem just to heap up the mud into thick, single cells that are piled one on another in a parallel but amorphous lump. Some others place the cells in corners or cracks or under rocks, and there are other patterns. These wasps are often called 'Thread-waisted Wasps' as a group.

The 2nd shot shows a LOT of activity with perhaps 3 or 4 different ‘invaders’. Don’t think there are eggs, but many cast skins of developing larvae or perhaps eaten prey. The 3 (+) larger skins look similar to Carpet Beetle larvae scavengers (but different from the common household one?). Others may be from tiny wasp parasites. The holes look like larger emerging parasites. There are a few other skins or mummies that are not readily identifiable. It might be interesting to tease or snip out a few of these to try to get a sense of what amazingly complex history this shows. I don't think the shroud was made by the original wasp. I can't remember the specifics for Daubers, but some wasps make a thin, film-like, usually red-brown symmetrical 'cocoon' inside the cell, others produce naked pupae (I think the latter include the Daubers, but not sure).

The last added shot is of a digging spider wasp, family Pompilidae, that dig burrows to house their prey and tads, one set per burrow, perhaps more for others ? We have had several shots of Cicada Killers lately, another member of this group, along with Tarantula Hawks.

This is a fine thread with many observations that should lead to many comments, agreeing or disagreeing with what has been said.

Are there any references for the specialization of Blue Daubers on Black Widows? Never encountered this. Perhaps only one species of Blue? as others seem more catholic.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Relbugman, thanks ever so much for your informative reply. I always enjoy reading them and I learn something each time that I do.

Here's the source of the Blue Mud Dauber and the Black Widow Spider. I get much of my info to expand my knowledge from our local Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation for my specimens are all local.

https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/mud-daubers

Look under the section of "Food" for the Blue Dauber.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Two nice images, sippy.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks, Kpmac. I enjoy sharing what I see through the lens with others here.

Mtn.Skipper Loc: Jerome, Idaho

merrytexan Loc: georgia

amazing shots, sippy! how exactly did you get so interested in bugs?

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks, for viewing and for the question. When I retired I needed to find something to fill the new time I had on my hands and my camera gave me an opportunity do so something indoors by taking shot after shot of the dogs and things around the house including floating vegetable oil on food colored water. From there it was beans, seeds, rice, salt, matches...whatever I could find that struck my fancy.

I happened upon some insects that had gotten trapped in the window jamb in our sunroom and although they had expired long ago I found them to be quite interesting when viewed under magnification and that curiosity has stayed with me ever since.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks for dropping by and for viewing.

merrytexan Loc: georgia

thank you for your interesting answer, sippy. never lose your curiosity and you will be forever young at heart!

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks, Merrytexan. This hobby had saved me from depression for I had never had a time without my job. Even during vacations I would be in daily contact. I had never realized how much my job and those that I worked with were part of my life for I had been there nearly forty-years along with many others.

Then, one cold grey winter day, it was all over and life as I knew it would never be the same. Of course I had my Better Half and our family of dogs to keep me company so I was never alone...I just felt that I had no real purpose to drive me any longer and in very little time it was getting more and more difficult to get inspired to do anything.

The camera gave me a challenge, something new to see with every click. Experiment after experiment. Dud after dud with a few that showed promise from time to time so the game was afoot to do better. I had a Nikon D810 that I would use a time or so before retiring. Within three years I racked up over 250,000 shots on it. So many so that I put it away and got two mirrorless cameras that I could shoot with electronic shutter so as not to wear them out.

My focus stacking sessions average between 300 to over 500 shots per session. They take about four hours to produce. I started doing shallower stacks now which is why you will see much of the subject out of focus due to the number of shots required to bring it all into deep focus.

merrytexan Loc: georgia

Thank you for sharing that, sippy. Finding something to do that you are passionate about is the smartest thing retired people can do...glad you found something you love to do.
I had no idea the stacking sessions for each shot take up so much time...