Sceliphron formosum (Vase-cell Mud-dauber Wasp)

WaspsWasps Index Australian Large Wasps Australian Mud Nest Wasps Mud Wasp Velvet Ants Abispa ephippium Acarozumia amaliae Aulacidae Australodynerus Bembix Bembicinae Bethylidae Blue Hairy Flower Wasp Braconidae Chrysididae Cryptocheilus Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Delta philantes Eumeninae Euodynerus aspra Ferreola handschini (Orange-collared Spider Wasp) Flower Wasps Gasteruptiid Wasp Hairy Flower Wasps Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp) Lissopimpla excelsa (Orchid Dupe Wasp) Mutillidae Orange Wasps Paralastor sp. Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Radumeris tasmaniensis (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Rhynchium superbum Sceliphron formosum (Vase-cell Mud-dauber Wasp) Sceliphron laetum Sphex Thynnid Wasps Tiphiidae Torymus Yellow and Black Wasp

Sceliphron formosum is commonly known as the Vase-cell Mud-dauber Wasp and Slender Mud-nest Builder. It is a mud-dauber wasp that builds pot-shaped nests out of mud. Sometimes the solitary wasp can be seen building several pot-shaped nests in a row.

The nests are filled with paralysed spiders as food for the single egg that is sealed in the nest. If she has not completed filling the nest cell towards the end of the day, she will temporarily seal the unfinished nesting cell, to reopen the nest cell the next day, so she can complete the job.

Sceliphron formosum are dark brown (sometimes black looking) in colour with yellow banded abdomen. There are yellow spots on the thorax and they have a long narrow waist.