Organ-pipe mud dauber (Trypoxylon politum)

Trypoxylon politum

The organ pipe mud dauber is a type of wasp in the family Crabronidae. They are fairly large wasps, shiny black with pale hind tarsi. Male organ pipe mud daubers are among the few male wasps of any species to stay at the nest. A male "stands guard" while a female is away collecting spiders. Mating typically occurs on her visits to the nest. They typically build their nests in sheltered locations, and large aggregations may form with dozens to hundreds of nests in a small area.

Organ Pipe Mud Dauber nest This is part of a very large collection of mud dauber nests under a bridge at the North Carolina Zoo. Geotagged,Mud Dauber Wasp,Nest,Organ Pipe Mud Dauber,Organ-pipe mud dauber,Trypoxylon politum,United States,Wasp,Winter,Zoo

Behavior

''Organ pipe mud daubers'' are also an exceedingly docile species of wasp, and generally pleasant to have around, as they serve to keep spider populations down. Stings to humans are very rare, bordering on non-existent. However, if squeezed, Organ pipe mud daubers will sting in self-defense. There are a great many other species in the genus ''Trypoxylon'' , mostly smaller in size and less abundant.

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Taxonomy
Kingdom	Animalia
Division	Arthropoda
Class	Insecta
Order	Hymenoptera
Family	Crabronidae
Genus	Trypoxylon
Species	T. politum

Photographed in
United States of America