I am totally dating myself but, if there was a Jessica Rabbit of the wasp species, it would be the mud dauber. Curvy little suckers, the mud dauber is a thread-waisted wasp, which means that it has a waist that is about the size of a piece of thread (skinny enough to make even Jessica Rabbit jealous). It’s so tiny that it doesn’t seem possible for it to hold the other body parts together, but it does. All 1/2 to 1 inch of it.
Mud Dauber Identification
Mud daubers get their names from the nests that they build out of…wait for it…mud. In fact, finding their mud nest is the most common sign of a mud dauber infestation. The daubs, as they like to be called on the street, are usually black and yellow in color but they may also have pale or blue metallic-like markings with clear or dark colored wings.
Mama daubs are super-busy and talented girls. Since they are solitary insects, once she’s done her business mating with a male, she slips out, does her walk of shame, and hits the road in search of a new nest site where she can start gathering mud balls for the construction of her next home. Her ideal spots are areas that are protected from the elements. Rain and daub digs are not a good combination. For this reason, Mama D builds her nests under overhangs, like the eaves of your house, stuck to the walls of the building, or even the sides of equipment. She is also known to seal up cracks or crevices, which might be helpful to some but not so much when her nests take shape in exhaust holes of important machinery. As long as there is protection from the weather and lots of spiders to eat and feed her babies, she’s all in.
The mud daub species are found all over the United States and in addition to being a nuisance with their Jessica Rabbit-like bodies buzzing around, their muddy nests can cause damage to your home, staining or discoloring siding and making an overall muddy mess.
The daubs are not aggressive and aren’t likely to sting but if they feel threatened or angry or pushed beyond their breaking point, they are more than capable of delivering multiple stings, and their venom could cause serious issues for anyone who might be allergic to wasp venom, not to mention that their stings are far more than uncomfortable.
Need to Get Rid of Mud Daubers?
So, you’ve got these mud nests, and some curvaceous-looking wasps are buzzing about, now what? Well, you are in luck because HowToPest.com just happens to be an expert in all things mud daub, and we are more than happy to share our knowledge with you. If this bug blog writer has given you all the info you need to get rid of mud daubers, we’ve got the professional-grade products you need to do just that. Mud daubers, mud daubs, Mama D, or Jessica Rabbit, whatever you want to call them, they are no match for HowToPest.com
Great read…