POTD - Mud Dauber

POTD - Mud Dauber

©2011 Kristin Corlett

We've gotten quite a few of these mud daubers in the house recently.  We have a few drainage holes in our screened in porch area and they find them, by golly, they sure do.  This guy was flying around the house one whole day and then I lost track of him.  A few days later I found him on the windowsill.  I left the photo in its original size, so if you click on the photo you are able to see all of the little hairs on his body.  It's so cool.  To me, it's so very cool when I know that I'm not going to get stung getting that close.

I found a very cool blog post about a different type of mud dauber, but I bet it's habits are a lot like this one.  Go on over to the Hilton Pond Center if you'd like some more information on this type of wasp. 


I found this definition of a mud dauber on Steve's Pest Control site (from Missouri).  Thanks Steve!! (I don't have a clue who Steve is, by the way.) 

MUD DAUBER
"Length ½”–1” These long, slender wasps are usually black with yellow markings but some species may also have a metallic blue or black coloring. They can be easily identified by their thin, thread-like waist. Mud dauber nests are constructed out of mud and can be found under eaves, porch ceilings, inside garages, sheds, barns, etc. Mud daubers are solitary wasps and do not defend their nest, therefore stings are rare."