A Pison sp. mud wasp (Crabronidae) nest.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
A wasp egg (Pison sp., Crabronidae) on a paralyzed spider.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Breaking open the sealed mud cell of a Pison mud wasp (Crabronidae) reveals a cache of paralyzed spiders. By not killing the spiders outright, the wasp's larvae can eat them before they start to rot.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
A Pison sp. mud wasp (Crabronidae). The sealed cells contain paralyzed spiders that will serve as food to her offspring.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
A male cicada killer wasp (Sphecius speciosus) monitors his territory from the top of a coneflower.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Sand wasps (Crabronidae) mating.

California, USA
Breaking open the sealed mud cell of a Pison mud wasp (Crabronidae) reveals a cache of paralyzed spiders. By not killing the spiders outright, the wasp's larvae can eat them before they start to rot.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Breaking open the sealed mud cell of a Pison mud wasp (Crabronidae) reveals a cache of paralyzed spiders. By not killing the spiders outright, the wasp's larvae can eat them before they start to rot.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Breaking open the sealed mud cell of a Pison mud wasp (Crabronidae) reveals a cache of paralyzed spiders. By not killing the spiders outright, the wasp's larvae can eat them before they start to rot.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013