Common sites include vertical or horizontal faces of walls, cliffs, bridges, overhangs and shelter caves or other structures.

The nest of a black and yellow mud dauber species Sceliphron caementarium is a simple, one, two or sometimes three celled, cigar-shaped mass that is attached to crevices, cracks and corners.

Adults of both sexes frequently drink flower nectar, but they stock their nests with spiders, which serve as food for their offspring.

The venom from the sting does not kill the spider, but paralyzes and preserves it so it can be transported and stored in the nest cell until consumed by the larva.

Before the flight, a mud dauber's nest was discovered in a pitot tube of the airplane which was cleaned by maintenance using an unapproved method.

Although the NTSB could not determine the cause of the accident, one of the possible factors was the improper cleaning of the mud dauber nest from the pitot tube.

Investigators believe a black and yellow mud dauber, Sceliphron caementarium, got into the tube and built its cylindrical nest inside, causing faulty air-speed readings that were a large part of the crash.

On April 10, 2015, about 18:45 Eastern Daylight Time, a Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV, N450KK, was substantially damaged during a cabin over-pressurization event over the Caribbean Sea while en route to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.