Ropalidia mosichi Polašek, 2025

Observation.

Namibia • 4 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, nest; Windhoek; 22.57400°S, 17.12432°E; 21 Dec 2023; obs Christian Langner; (Langner 2024).

Nest.

One nest of this species was observed in Namibia. The nest is elongated, one or two cells wide and about 50 cells long; the cell wall is greyish with numerous thin streaks of darker or lighter colour; the cell wall appears compact. Cocoon caps are scattered in the upper and mid part, projecting above the cell margin, with apparently very diverse colour pattern, including white, yellowish, lightly brown and dark-grey colour. Some larvae are visible in the lower part of the nest, growing in the incomplete cells and suggesting a quick colony turnover; several upper cells appear shorter, but it is unclear if these first few cells are built shorter or if the wasps are reusing the cell wall material.