A nest of Sceliphron caementarium (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) intercepted in Dunedin

Abstract

On 11 December 2009, Mr. Dennis Gray of Vehicle Inspection New Zealand (VINZ), 20 Teviot Street, Dunedin, gave me a three-celled nest of Sceliphron (Sceliphron) caementarium (Drury) (Sphecidae, Sphecinae; Sceliphronini). Two cells contained dead spiders but no immature wasps. Either no eggs had been laid on the provisioned spiders, or the eggs had failed to eclose and subsequently decayed, leaving little trace. The third cell contained a fully formed, completely pigmented adult female S. (S.) caementarium still within its cocoon.