T.E.R:R.A.I.N - Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network

Wasp (Mason)

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Sphecidae
Scientific name: Pison spinolae
Common name: Mason wasp, Mason Bees

It is a native species about 16 mm long found throughout New Zealand. The adults eat nectar. The female mason wasp builds a nest of cells out of mud and while doing it she makes a whining noise. She paralyses a spider then takes it back to her nest. She lays an egg in each cell and a grub hatches from the egg and consumes a helpless but still living orbweb spider. The orb spider is the fat triangular spider that makes those beautiful shaped webs you see on misty mornings.

Part of a nest behind a board that was removed from a wall. It shows the cells structure and the emerging larva in the top four cells. The lower cells were full of spiders that fell out when the board was pulled away.  One spider can be seen.






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