The blue mud-dauber, also known as the oriental mud-dauber wasp (Chalybion bengalense), secures its eggs inside abandoned wasp nests at Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on September 26, 2026. It coats the eggs with mud and adds a layer of bird droppings for protection. Adult blue mud-daubers primarily feed on flower nectar, but the females actively hunt spiders. They sting the spiders to paralyze them—not to kill them—before storing them alive in their nests to serve as food for their larvae. These wasps are generally non-aggressive toward humans, and stings are quite rare unless the wasp feels trapped or squeezed. They also contribute to natural pest control by reducing local spider populations around homes and gardens.
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More footage filed by NurPhoto videographers.