Species Chalybion californicum - Blue Mud Wasp

Blue Mud-dauber

10-23 mm

A large, active, blue-black wasp with irridescent blue wings. Frequents flowers for nectar and buildings for nest sites. Compare "Steel-Blue Cricket Hunter", (or "Blue Mud Dauber"), Chlorion aerarium, which preys on crickets. This is about the same size as Chalybion, and is said to have a longer pedicel (narrow waist between thorax and abdomen). The body of Chalybion looks much more hairy, and more steely-blue, based on specimen photos.

Widespread in North America

Fields with flowers, near buildings.

April-October in North Carolina

Adults take nectar. Larvae feed on spiders.

Females construct mud nests in sheltered areas, often under the eaves of buildings, and provision them with spiders. Sometimes refurbishes the nests of other mud-daubers, such as Sceliphron.

Lutz, 1st edition, plate XCII--"C. caeruleum" (1)

Drees, p. 278, fig. 334 (2)

Powell and Hogue, p. 344, fig. 446 (3)

Milne, pp. 842-843 (4)

Swan and Papp, p. 564, fig. 1225 (5)

Arnett, p. 595 (6)

Bugpeople

Insects of Cedar Creek--photo, Sphecidae page--describes life history briefly.

Univ. of Michigan--species account

TAMU

Cirrus Digital Imaging--page on mud daubers

Univ. of Tennessee--page on mud daubers

North Carolina State University Entomology Collection has 101 specimens pinned, including specimens from that state.