Nesting Biology of Isodontia diodon (Kohl, 1890) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), a predator of cockroaches, in Hong Kong

{Nests of Isodontia diodon (Kohl, 1890) were collected in Hong Kong using trap nests. This paper reports the nest contents and brood development in 16 nests. Nesting activity was recorded in-situ on two traps allowing for the sequencing of prey provisioning, cell partition and nest plug construction. The following was observed: 1) this sphecid mass provisions cells with Blatellidae, mostly one species of Balta but also Blatella, a rare prey record for the genus, 2) the cell partition and nest plug material were formed from fine plant pubescence rather than the grass and debris assemblage generally used in the genus, and 3) approximately 18\% of all cells were parasitized by Diptera, and total brood mortality was approximately 34\%.}