226 
Psyche 
[Vol. 87 
Callan (1979) has recently reviewed what is known of the nesting 
behavior and natural enemies of this species. Evidently mud cells are 
constructed in a variety of protected situations, often around houses, 
and spiders of the family Araneidae are used as prey. We reared P. 
spinolae from two trap nests placed on windowsills of a house in 
Canberra. Both were completed in late November, 1969; one was 
opened at that time and found to contain spiders bearing eggs or 
larvae, while the second was opened 18 December and found to 
contain cocoons. Adults emerged from both in late January. Both 
were in borings 8 mm in diameter. The number of cells per nest was 
4-6, cell length 13-26 mm, not including one cocoon in a very long 
cell in the deepest part of the boring, 61 mm long. The cells were 
separated by thin mud partitions and the nests closed off with plugs 
2-4 mm thick. One nest had a 3 mm long vestibule cell between the 
last cell partition and the outer plug. Both nests had mud plugs at the 
extreme inner end of the boring. The number of spiders per cell varied 
from 5 to 12, and the egg was placed dorsolaterally near the front of 
the abdomen of the spider closest to the entrance to the cell (Fig. 5). 
Several were saved for identification, and all proved to be Araneidae, 
as follows: 
Araneus brisbanae (Koch)—1 $ 
Araneus transmarinus (Keyserling)—4 immatures 
Singotypa sp.—1 $, 1 immature 
Cocoons of this species measure from 10.5 to 13.5 mm in length 
(giving rise to males) and from 15.5 to 17.5 mm in length (giving rise 
to females). They differ in color from those of the preceding two 
species in being brown and distinctly darker at the anterior, more 
blunt end (Fig. 8). 
Pison species near tibiale Smith 
We reared individuals of this species from four trap nests, two set 
up on Black Mountain, Canberra, and two along the Murrumbidgee 
River in Australian Capital Territory. All were in bores 6-7 mm in 
diameter; one contained five cells, the other three seven each. Cells 
measured 12-20 mm in length and were separated by mud partitions 
0.5-1.2 mm thick. Three of the nests had no outer plug when collected 
and were closed merely with the thin partition of the outermost cell, 
which was recessed 16-20 mm from the bore opening. One had a mud 
plug 10 mm thick, flush with the opening. A nest collected on 1 
