It often reforms nests of the Sceliphron camentarium (black and yellow mud dauber wasp) by removing the larva of the unwanted species from the cells and replacing it with one of its own. They may have some yellow coloring as well. Mud daubers are solitary insects even though in some suitable habitats more than one mud nest will be found. In temperate regions, mud daubers are most active in the late spring and summer. The organ pipe mud dauber (Trypoxylon politum) is black with blue wings, with white “stockings” on the hind legs. The blue mud dauber is only one species of mud dauber. Mud daubers tend to be larger but more slender than wasps. Mud dauber wasps undergo complete metamorphosis, meaning they have four stages during their life cycle – egg, larvae (grub/worm-like), pupae (cocoon) and adult. One of the primary differences between wasps and mud daubers is their size and shape. I was able to track it down and get a few pictures before it flew away. What Are Blue Wasps? Nests of the organ-pipe species look similar to the pipes they are named after; black and yellow daubers enclose a group of cylinders within a smooth, fist-size nest; and the blue variety simply uses nests abandoned by the black and yellows. Mud daubers have a long, narrow petiole--what entomologists call the portion of the body that connects the abdomen with the thorax. It is similar in shape and colour to the steel-blue cricket hunter (Chlorion aerarium). I don’t remember exact size, just that it struck me as one of the largest wasps I’d ever seen. Other species feature different colors—including black and yellow—and patterns. Like other mud daubers, blue mud wasps are solitary wasps. The blue mud wasps’ name references its bodies’ distinctive, metallic blue-black sheen. It is not normally aggressive. It is similar in shape and colour to the steel-blue cricket hunter (Chlorion aerarium). The Black Widow Killer. These insects build a new nest for each egg. If you hear a wasp buzzing loudly in your garden or find a wasp's nest under your eaves or attached to your house or shed, don't panic. Most resemble long, … The possibilities I know of are Blue Mud Dauber, Steel Blue Cricket Hunter, and Great Black Wasp. If you are scared of spiders then you certainly are aware of the infamous black widow, which is poisonous and dangerous to humans. Oh, and a reputation as a fierce enemy of black widow spiders. Metallic very large blue/black wasp Location: Fairfield, Maine USA August 9, 2010 12:06 pm Dear Bugman, I saw this large iridescent thing wizz by me out in the meadow. In addition, although both wasps and mud daubers have a black and yellow colors, those of the mud dauber are … What it does have going for it is a remodeling career. They may be Mud dauber Wasps which look a bit scary with their bright yellow and dark black colouring, but are actually quite harmless and non-aggressive if … The blue mud dauber is not a social wasp—each female builds its own nests so you’ll never accidentally surprise a whole swarm of mud daubers. The black-and-yellow mud dauber (Sceliphron caementarium) constructs nest cells side by side or on top of one another; the final product is rounded and about the size of a lemon or a fist. Metallic blue wasp Location: Ottawa, Ontario July 2, 2011 12:05 pm I saw this striking metallic blue wasp two days ago at Mud Lake in Ottawa. Mud daubers also have very long, narrow waists. It is not normally aggressive. I cannot tell so far. One way to tell the different mud daubers apart is by the distinctive architecture they use. The blue mud dauber (Chalybion californicum) is a metallic blue species of mud dauber wasp that is the primary predator of black widow spiders. The Chalybion californicum will use water to soften the nest of the S. camentarium and remove the spiders that are hosting the unwanted mud dauber larva. The blue mud dauber (Chalybion californicum) is a metallic blue species of mud dauber wasp that is the primary predator of black widow spiders. They belong to a number of related groups, but we call them all "mud daubers" because they all build their nests out of mud.