Mud Daubers
in Oakdale, MN

As the weather warms in Oakdale and the children flood the parks, you may notice a large black wasp around your home with a long, thin “thread-waist” between their thorax and abdomen. Though frightening to behold, they generally will not harm you unless you pursue them and grip them in your cupped hands. They’re Mud Daubers, and they rarely sting people. Mud Daubers are solitary insects and get their name from the materials with which they build their nests.

Mud Daubers collect chunks of mud which they use to construct nests for their young. Though the shape of their nests can vary from one species to the next (mostly varying from horizontal construction to vertical or organ pipes), they’re commonly made into small, cylinder “tubes” where the female lays her eggs. She then deposits a paralyzed spider or other insect which the larvae will feed on once they emerge from their eggs. Mud Daubers will commonly create multiple nests side by side (4 inches long and 2 inches wide), resembling a pipe organ. This is why they are sometimes called “organ pipe wasps”.

Mud Daubers spend the winter in the stage between larvae and adult, or the pupae stage. During this time, they are spun into a cocoon, and emerge in the spring as adults. They typically feed on plant nectar and honeydew, as well as spiders and other insects. Since they are not aggressive, and rarely sting humans, they tend to not be as much of a physical nuisance as other insects and wasps, however their nests can be a bother, and many people can be annoyed by their presence when trying to enjoy the porch or deck.

Rove Pest Control’s Mud Dauber Service is the best way to protect your home from Mud Daubers, and other species of hornets and wasps. Oakdale certainly experiences the full extent of all four seasons and Rove Mud Dauber Specialists are well trained to know how to approach control for any pest during any of the seasons. Contact your Rove specialist today!