What do female mud dauber wasps use to feed their larvae?

Female mud dauber wasps specifically hunt and paralyze spiders to provide food for their larvae. After capturing the spider, they will place it within a mud nest where the female lays her eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the wasp larvae feed on the still-living but paralyzed spider, ensuring a fresh food source that is rich in protein. This behavior is a crucial part of their reproductive strategy, as the availability of nutritious food directly impacts the survival and development of their young. Other insects, such as leafcutter ants, fruit flies, or beetle larvae, are not utilized by mud dauber wasps in the same manner, as their larvae require the specific nutrients found in spiders to thrive.