Question 1

HOW DO I RECOGNIZE A MUD DAUBER WASP INFESTATION?

Accepted Answer

Black and yellow mud dauber are usually found June through August. Their small, mud nests are found under eaves, on porch ceilings, and attached to crevices, cracks, and corners. The shape of the nest is a key indication of a mud dauber wasp. Female black and yellow mud daubers build a series of short mud tubes measuring about 1” long that are then plastered over with mud to form a smooth mud nest about the size of an apple. Unless reinhabited by another species, holes in a black and yellow mud dauber nest indicate that the new wasps have emerged from the nest and the nest is inactive.

Question 2

WHAT DO MUD DAUBER WASPS LOOK LIKE?

Accepted Answer

Mud dauber wasps have a long and thin thorax with a narrow, thread-like waist. They have a smooth and shiny body with very few hairs. Mud daubers are typically ¾” – 1” in length. The black and yellow mud dauber wasp is black with mostly yellow legs and yellow markings on its thorax. The blue mud dauber is a beautiful metallic blue-black wasp with blue wings.

Question 3

ARE MUD DAUBER WASPS DANGEROUS?

Accepted Answer

A mud dauber is very unlikely to sting you. Solitary wasps, such as the mud daubers, are generally not aggressive and do not defend their nests the way social wasps do, but they may sting when handled. A mud dauber nest can be messy and cause discoloration to siding.

Question 4

WHAT DO MUD DAUBER WASPS EAT?

Accepted Answer

Adult mud daubers feed on honeydew and plant nectar. They may also be seen at hummingbird feeders. Larvae feed on the spiders left by the adult wasp.

Question 5

SHOULD I KNOCK DOWN A MUD DAUBER NEST?

Accepted Answer

Generally, you can leave active mud daubers alone. However, abandoned nests can be removed for aesthetic reasons. If you remove an active nest, the mud dauber will move somewhere else.

Question 6

HOW CAN I PREVENT MUD DAUBERS FROM BUILDING A NEST ON MY PROPERTY?

Accepted Answer

There is no effective method to prevent mud dauber wasps from building nests on a structure. Prompt and frequent removal of mud dauber nests may discourage them if your property seems to be a favorite nesting area for the wasps.

Question 7

HOW DO I REMOVE A MUD DAUBER NEST?

Accepted Answer

The easiest way to remove an abandoned mud dauber nest is to simply scrape the nest off the surface using a paint scraper. Then use soap and water to remove any rings or residue.

Question 8

WHAT IS THE LIFE CYCLE OF MUD DAUBER WASPS?

Accepted Answer

Mud daubers wasps undergo complete metamorphosis – egg, larvae, pupae (cocoon) and adult. Depending on the species, they complete one or two generations per year. The female mud dauber wasp builds a nest of many individual mud tubes or cells (approximately 15) that are covered over with more mud. Male mud daubers stand guard to keep other insects from invading the nest during construction. Once the nest is complete, the female mud dauber catches and stings insects or spiders and brings them back to her nest. The venom in her sting paralyzes the prey. The female mud dauber places several insects or spiders in each mud tube, then she lays a single egg within each mud cell, and seals it with more mud. After she finishes laying her eggs and securing them in the nest, she leaves and does not return. The adult male and female mud daubers never live in the nest. When the mud dauber larvae hatch from the eggs, they feed on the prey left in the tubes. The larvae develop into pupae, in approximately three weeks. The pupae will spin a silk cocoon to overwinter In the spring, overwintering pupae develop into new adults and emerge to start the process over again.

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