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Mud Daubers are Solitary Wasps that Make Unsightly Nests.
True to their common name, black and yellow mud daubers (Sceliphron caementarium) are solitary wasps that construct small nests made of mud. Also found in our area, the blue mud dauber (Chalybion californicum) doesn’t build its own mud nest but inhabits the abandoned nest of a black and yellow mud dauber.
It is best to tolerate mud dauber wasps whenever possible since there is usually little risk of stings, they are only active a few weeks, and they only live one season. However, a mud dauber wasp can cause concern if the nest is built near an entrance, a child’s play area, or other high-activity area. If that’s the case, call Adam’s.
Adam’s Gets Rid of Mud Daubers Fast!
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Mud Daubers Treatment Options
One-time Perimeter Stinging Insects
Adam’s licensed pest management professionals have the training and equipment to safely kill nuisance wasp, hornet, and yellow jacket nests up to 25’ in height in or around structures that pose a threat to people. We apply a proven insecticide directly into the nests and also into holes, cracks, and gaps where an active nest may be hiding. Adam’s treats up to 5 nests for the same low price. Adam’s guarantees that no new activity will be present in any treated nest for 3 months.
Premier Perimeter Stinging Insects
Need to prevent more pests than just stinging insects? Adam’s Premier Perimeter Program includes a minimum of 3 preventive barrier treatments around the exterior perimeter of your home for year-round prevention of common household bugs, including insects, spiders, boxelder bugs, and wasp nests. Your Pest Management Professional inspects for pests, and then applies a season-specific, non-repellent, residual material to control common household pests before they can get inside. The service comes with a 12-month guarantee for all existing and new wasp nests.
Premier Home Pest Prevention
Adam’s best value for prevention and control of common household pests, including stinging insects like wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets! Adam’s Premier Home Pest Prevention service provides year-round prevention of pests with a minimum of four visits throughout the year. Service visits focus on the exterior of your home, where most pest problems originate. And should a pest problem ever occur between scheduled visits, the plan includes additional treatments at no additional charge. This program includes common household pests like spiders, centipedes, and roaches and seasonal pests like multicolored Asian lady beetles, ants, and mice, as well as wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets.
More About Mud Daubers
HOW DO I RECOGNIZE A MUD DAUBER WASP INFESTATION?
- 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.
WHAT DO MUD DAUBER WASPS LOOK LIKE?
- 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.
ARE MUD DAUBER WASPS DANGEROUS?
- 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.
WHAT DO MUD DAUBER WASPS EAT?
- 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.
SHOULD I KNOCK DOWN A MUD DAUBER NEST?
- 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.
HOW CAN I PREVENT MUD DAUBERS FROM BUILDING A NEST ON MY PROPERTY?
- 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.
HOW DO I REMOVE A MUD DAUBER NEST?
- 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.
WHAT IS THE LIFE CYCLE OF MUD DAUBER WASPS?
- 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.