Learning from nature to improve local architecture: nest soil analysis of Sceliphron (Sphecidae; Insecta) and earthen architecture samples from Algeria’s M’zab Valley

A thermally adapted building envelope relies on a stable balance between form, orientation, and material. The Ksour of Ghardaia and Melika are two of five Ksour that characterise the city of Ghardaïa. They are fortified desert cities. Sceliphron, which belongs to the Sphecidae family, is an endemic wasp adapted to the local environment in the Ghardaïa region of central Algeria. Their nests are abundant in the new public buildings near the dam. These wasps build their nests from the soil they collect in nearby areas and choose isolated, safe spots for their nests, sheltered from outside influences. The paper reports work to compare such nests' composition with that of the local architecture.