If you have seen a mud dauber or dirt dauber flying around your yard, chances are that it is looking for a place to build its nest. These insects primarily live in warmer climates, so they can be more of an issue during the summer months. One thing that many people don’t know about these pests is that they are actually extremely friendly towards humans. But that doesn't mean that they won't sting, that’s right: even though dirt daubers are not aggressive creatures by nature, they will sting if provoked!
If you are asking yourself, do I have a mud dauber or a wasp problem, you can tell because these scary pests have different characteristics that make them unique, plus you will most likely see a mud dauber's nest long before you find a wasp nest. You'll see dirt daubers flying about with large bulging abdomens - and chances are that these little creatures have been feasting on many insects like spiders, mosquitoes, or aphids.
In this blog post, we will examine 8 things about dirt daubers that you need to know before dealing with them on your property.
What Do Dirt Daubers Look Like?
Most adult mud daubers are about 1/2 to 1 inch long or 12-25 mm in total length. They are usually black with clear wings. What makes them unique and terrifying is their abdomen. Their upper body is bulky and resembles that of any ordinary wasp but their body quickly goes into a thin, strong cylinder shape that is followed by what looks like the mother of all stingers. They truly have an appearance that is straight out of a science fiction novel — enough to drive fear into any bystander.
What Are The Characteristics of The Mud Dauber?
The mud dauber is a unique insect that not builds intricate nests for its larvae but also catches spiders to feed them! Unlike other wasps and bees, females do all building and hunting while males pass on the food they find in nature or chew up dry plant materials to make it into larval food. This is the exact opposite of the hunter-gather approach that we find in our own ancestors.
Most Dirt Daubers want to be left alone and will not hurt humans unless provoked.
Where Do Dirt Daubers Live?
Dirt daubers are typically seen in warmer climates, such as Texas and Florida but do stretch all the way down to Mexico. This is because they prefer to live in climates that produce the perfect recipe for mosquitoes and other insects to feed on. You'll often find them near sources of water (such as a pond or lake) where young larvae can feed on the plentiful bug & mosquito population found there.
Are Dirt Daubers Dangerous?
The docile mud dauber wasp is usually found in areas of human activity, but they are not aggressive enough to sting — unless provoked. Mud daubers build solitary nests that they do not defend and will only attack when handled inappropriately by humans.
They tend to build their nests on buildings, in areas that are out in the open and can be seen by most foot traffic which makes them an aesthetic pest for some people due to the unsightly appearance of their nests(mud).
With that being said, the most dangerous incident of a mud dauber happened when flight Birgenair Flight 301 crashed over the Atlantic ocean. All 13 crew members and 176 passengers perished in the crash. The plane had been sitting on the tarmac for two days with uncovered pitot tubes. Investigators believe a black and yellow mud dauber got into the tube and built its cylindrical nest inside, causing faulty air-speed readings that were a large part of what caused this crash.
There have been other instances of plane crashes due to their nests as well.
However, if you do find yourself stung by a mud dauber know that they can sting multiple times but their sting isn't extremely painful as it is designed to paralyze their prey instead of killing them.
What Are Their Nests Built Out of?
The easiest way to identify a mud dauber infestation is with their nest. You will want to look for a large and circular in shape mud structure on the side of a building.
Their nest is built mainly of mud but can also have twigs and other organic material in it.
How to Identify a Mud Dauber Infestation?
The mud dauber wasp is a very common pest. Mud daubers can be identified by their nests, which are typically large and circular in shape. Some of these nests will have multiple holes in the side and this is a good indication that baby larvae have grown and exited the nest by burring their way out of the sides.
Should you get rid of a dirt dauber infestation?
That is really up to you. They are not particularly aggressive towards humans and they can help clean up other pests as well. However, they do cause an ugly site on the outside of buildings. If you don't like the idea of them flying around, a local pest control company will be able to help you clear them out. But if you are not to keen on taking action, you should be perfectly fine leaving them be as there are benefits to having these scary-looking bugs around.