Which insect is known for constructing nests from mud and provisioning prey for its larvae?

• A. Paper wasp
• B. Mud dauber
• C. Hornet
• D. Ant

Answer: (B)

Mud nest construction paired with provisioning prey for its larvae is a hallmark of the mud dauber. This solitary wasp builds tubular mud nests on sheltered surfaces, and for each cell the female hunts and places spiders inside, lays an egg, and seals the cell with more mud. The larva hatches and feeds on the captured spider as it develops. The nest material and provisioning pattern set it apart: paper wasps and hornets make papery nests from chewed plant fibers and stock prey for their larvae, but not with mud. Ants don’t build mud nests for larval provisioning in the same way; they raise brood within colonies with a different social structure.