Species Sceliphron curvatum - Asian Mud-dauber Wasp

Classification · Explanation of Names · Identification · Range · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Subfamily Eumeninae? - Sceliphron curvatum - female

ID this wasp? - Sceliphron curvatum - male

Sphecidae? - Sceliphron curvatum - female

Invasive Mud Dauber - Sceliphron curvatum - female

non-native mud dauber - Sceliphron curvatum

non-native mud dauber nest - Sceliphron curvatum

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)

No Taxon (Apoidea sans Anthophila – Apoid Wasps)

Family Sphecidae (Thread-waisted Wasps)

Subfamily Sceliphrinae

Tribe Sceliphrini (Mud-dauber Wasps)

Genus Sceliphron (Black Mud-dauber Wasps)

Species curvatum (Asian Mud-dauber Wasp)

Explanation of Names

Sceliphron curvatum (F. Smith 1870)

Identification

According to Christian Schmid-Egger (Aug 12, 2019: pers. comm. to Matthias Buck), the photos on BugGuide clearly show S. curvatum, not S. deforme (up to this point there was doubt about the species). Schmid-Egger (2005) provides a key to separate the two species from each other and from European species [in German].

Range

native to Asia, introduced elsewhere (scattered US records [map](1)); spreading rapidly in Europe, discovered in Argentina in 2001 (Compagnucci & Roig Alsina 2008). Newly recorded for MN, US, 2023, iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/166019155).

Remarks

BugGuide photos from Quebec (2013) apparently represent the first North American record

Print References

Compagnucci LA, Roig Alsina A (2008) Sceliphron curvatum, una nueva avispa invasora en la Argentina (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Rev Soc. Entomol. Argent. 67: 65-70. (Full text)

Schmid-Egger C (2005) Sceliphron curvatum (F. Smith 1870) in Europa mit einem Bestimmungsschlüssel für die europäischen und mediterranen Sceliphron-Arten (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae). BembiX 19: 7-28. (Full text)

Internet References

La Pélopée courbée (Sceliphron curvatum) est arrivée!

Works Cited

1.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Contributed by Matthias Buck on 13 August, 2019 - 5:22pm
Additional contributions by Mike Quinn, v belov, PaleoJon, bdagley
Last updated 18 July, 2023 - 7:33pm

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