Mud Daubers In Chesapeake What You Should Know

A mud dauber is a wasp that creates its nest out of mud. If you find a mud dauber nest on your property, you may have an infestation, though it is possible to have one (or more) of these structures on your home and not have an infestation.

Mud daubers leave their nests and don't return. If you see holes in the nest, this is an indication that the nest may be old, and that there are no wasps in it. Mud daubers make holes when they leave. This is great news, right? All you have to do is look for those holes and get rid of the nests if they're old. Unfortunately, there is one problem with this plan. Mud dauber nests are sometimes taken over by more aggressive wasp species.

It is always best to have Chesapeake pest control handle the removal of mud dauber nests. What if you don't see a mud dauber nest, but you think you see these wasps on your Chesapeake property? What should you do? Let's take a look.

How To Identify Mud Daubers

First, it is important to know what different stinging insects in Chesapeake look like. We have a few common wasps that make pests of themselves.

Mud Daubers Vs. Yellow Jackets

Yellow jackets are tiny stinging insects that are typically found in ground holes within landscaping. They are yellow and black in coloration. A mud dauber may also be yellow and black in coloration, but it is much larger than a yellow jacket, and its black and yellow coloration looks quite a bit different. It is also slender compared to a fat little yellow jacket.

Mud Daubers Vs. Paper Wasps

Paper wasps are reddish with yellow legs and they create paper-like aerial nests. A paper wasp will be about the same size as a mud dauber. Paper wasps range in size from ¼ to 1 inch, and mud daubers are ½ to a little over an inch. If you see a mud dauber, you might notice that it has yellow legs, but don't let that make you think it is a paper wasp. Besides its black and yellow coloration, a mud dauber has a very distinctive trait that sets it apart from a paper wasp; it has a long, slender waist with a small abdomen on the end.

Mud daubers can come in other colorations besides black and yellow. If you see any wasp on your property that has a thread-waisted body, it is a mud dauber. It may be entirely black, have a mixture of colors, or have a metallic luster. It depends on the species.

Are Mud Daubers Aggressive?

If you have mud daubers on your property (not yellow jackets or paper wasps) this is good news. Mud daubers are solitary wasps. They don't gather together in a swarm to protect their nests, and they are generally docile toward people.

The concern with these wasps is accidental contact. You may sit on one that is perched on an outdoor seat. You may put your hand on a railing and place it over a mud dauber by accident. You might put on a shirt that was laying on a piece of furniture outside, and not notice the mud dauber clinging to it. Accidental contact can result in a sting.

You may also get stung if you try to remove mud dauber nests. While these insects don't have a nest protection instinct, they don't take kindly to you destroying their hard work, or their offspring.

Does Anything Instantly Kill Mud Daubers?

There are many products that can kill mud daubers on contact, but this isn't the best way to deal with these insects. Pets, children, and wildlife can come in contact with chemical products sprayed on mud dauber nests, or liquid dripping from the nests. These nests can be removed by wearing a protective outfit, like a beekeeper's suit, and by scraping the nests off structures.

Once a nest is removed, clean the area with soapy water to deter other mud daubers from creating new nests. If you tackle this on your own, keep in mind that the early morning is the best time to do this. If you don't want to buy a beekeeper's outfit or deal with the pain (sometimes literally) of removing mud dauber nests, contact Hawk Mosquito & Pest for assistance with wasp control issues in Chesapeake.

What Is The Best Treatment For Mud Daubers?

The best treatment for mud dauber nests, and other wasp nests, is early treatment. It is far better to catch these stinging pests in the spring and early summer and deal with them before they give you an unwanted surprise. This is why we offer our stinging insect control service.

The best way to do this is to get year-round pest control. We can help you with this. Reach out to Hawk Mosquito & Pest to learn about our effective and affordable home pest control plans. You'll be glad you did.