I think I saw a blue mud dauber for the first time a few days ago, and they really are SO blue in person! Really pretty. Could we get some facts about those?
Blue Mud Daubers - SOCAL, USA:
So, after speaking to this friend off line, we know that this species lives SoCal, and the species is likely...
Common Blue Mud Dauber (Chalybion californicum), family Sphecidae, live over much of the US, Mexico, and far southern Canada
In low light this wasp may look blackish, but in full light looks iridescent blue.
Females sting, but males cannot.
They have been introduced into the Caribbean, Hawaii, and parts of Europe.
Females either construct their own mud nests, or refurbish the nests of other mud daubers (even of other species).
Adults feed on nectar.
Females sting and paralyze spiders (mostly black widows). They place the spiders in the mud nest, and lay an egg on them. The larvae feed on the spider after hatching from the egg.
They hunt prey on low vegetation, on the ground, and under rocks and logs.
photograph by Nell Cant & Bob Noble
Chicago, IL, USA - photo by Carol Blaney
photograph by Bug Eric
Now another possibility is this one as well...
Steel Blue Cricket Hunter (Chlorion aerarium), family Sphecidae, found across the US, far northern Mexico, and extreme southern Canada.
Adults feed on nectar.
Not found near homes that often, they tend to frequent open fields.
Females paralyze crickets. They dig burrows into the ground, where the place the cricket. They then lay an egg on the cricket, which the larvae feed on.
photograph by bg1159 & Edward Trammel
