Sceliphron spirifex
Species of insect
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sceliphron spirifex is a species of sphecid wasp. It has a medium-sized body (17–27 millimetres or 0.7–1.1 inches), which is dull black with a long, yellow petiole (waist). The legs are black with yellow bands, the antennae are black and the wings are clear.
| Sceliphron spirifex | |
|---|---|
| |
| S. spirifex in Tanzania | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Sphecidae |
| Tribe: | Sceliphrini |
| Genus: | Sceliphron |
| Species: | S. spirifex |
| Binomial name | |
| Sceliphron spirifex | |
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| Synonyms [1] | |
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Females build large multi-celled mud nests attached to cliffs, rocks, tree trunks, bridges and buildings. The cells are mass-provisioned with several spiders and sealed with mud.
S. spirifex lives in diverse habitats across Africa and Southern Europe, but is strongly associated with buildings and other man-made structures.
Gallery
A Mediterranean house gecko in ambush on a nest of a Sceliphron spirifex.
A Sceliphron spirifex offspring emerges from the nest.
A Sceliphron spirifex female building a nest.
