Mud Daubers overtaking place...

[SCRich]

I did a search on Wasps but I am not sure if they would be treated the same as mud daubers. This is the first summer living here but we were building last summer and it was a real problem. During construction the place was just loaded with them, the walk in basement was a swarm of them with all the nests they were making on the walls and the floor joists.

Well we are living here now and it's not looking much better. It's still somewhat cool out but they have started nesting under the deck and stairs and are swarming at the eaves. I know I can't do much at the eaves but they seem to stay up there most of the time.

What is the best way of dealing with the ones close to the doors and living areas? Would they be treated in the same way as regular wasps and what is the best way of getting rid of them ? Do they have any natural predators ?
Last year in the basement I used some hanging fly strips, they actually helped in a confined space. FYI a strip with one or 2 semi-alive daubers seem to work while the new ones with none "screaming for help" seem to stay empty.

[Jeff54321]

"Wasps usually evoke a great deal of anxiety or fear. However, solitary wasps such as the mud daubers do not defend their nest the way social wasps such as hornets and yellowjackets do. Mud daubers are very unlikely to sting, even when thoroughly aroused......Control of these insects is not warranted since they normally pose little threat. Rather, mud daubers should be regarded as beneficial, since they remove and use as prey many species of spiders which most people find disagreeable."

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/bmuddaub.html

[SCRich]

Originally Posted by Jeff54321

"Wasps usually evoke a great deal of anxiety or fear.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/bmuddaub.html

Anxiety yes...Fear No...

I am alergic to Wasps, found that out the hard way and tried to get my Doctor (Former) to give me an RX for an epi pen. I lived in Florida and worked outside with cabinets and got bit 2 times opening doors and both times my arm swelled up, one of those times was on the wrist and could not move my hand. He stated too many side effects with Epi and did not think my reaction was bad enough to justify it.

Now I got dozens of nests on my deck/patio and I want to enjoy it. I do not know about non-aggressive, maybe different species are different but here in SC as they fly around they do come after you and follow. Not as bad as bees and yellow jackets but they do.

My major concern is if I would react the same to daubers if/when bit than with a regular wasp. 2nd is living area, don't care about the roof or most of the outside of the house but I got a large deck and patio underneath that we plan on using as our main outside living area, right now it's useable but 1 month or more and there will be too many of them. 3rd somehow or another they are working their way inside of the house on the 2nd floor, damm builders! Don't know what they did not seal up but they are apparently making it into the attic and then making it into the living area. I got a 6 month old up there and an 8 year old, both bedrooms are on the 2nd floor. Been looking but no obvious openings, got to be via the attic access door so I'll have to use some foam strips on the jamb.

[Ken Scharabok]

I have had somewhat limited success in the shop by handing a bug zapper from a rafter and leaving it on 24/7. I've had then get into electric motors and completely freeze them up.

[Toads tool]

If you must then you can do the hairspray stomp.

[SCRich]

Originally Posted by Ken Scharabok

I have had somewhat limited success in the shop by handing a bug zapper from a rafter and leaving it on 24/7. I've had then get into electric motors and completely freeze them up.

Never thought about a bug zapper, the wife has been asking for one or two of them for the front porch and rear deck/porch. Heard that they work then I have heard they do not, any skeeters zapped were zapped just due to sheer volume not because they were attracted to the lamp.

I'll have to price them out and maybe try one out.

[flowergurl]

I grew up on a farm with mud daubers and never once did I ever get stung or did I ever hear of them stinging anyone.
Yes they do buzz around and can be annoying, but a danger I don't think so.
They find and kill LOTS of bugs, I would leave them be.

[Mid Tn Mama]

Mud Daubers are the ones you WANT. They are not the kind that sting you.

They fertilize tons of veggies, fruit and flowers. You may have lots of them because they are doing the job that honeybees used to do in your area. Don't destroy them.

[Little Quacker in OR]

I can understand both sides of this problem. You do want to preserve as many natural predators as you can, BUT, you don't want to have them be so annoying that they mess up your time out on your porches or have them inside your house! Is your County Extension Service well run there where you live? I would, in your shoes, capture a few of these wasps and take them in and ask what they recommend in this instance. That way you will be sure that the correct ID is made.

Also, while many of these species can give a light "bite", it's the sting that causes the trouble.

For small numbers of mud daubers that are trying to contruct in a place you can reach, vasaline painted on with a small brush will keep any vespid from making a nest(this is how you keep hornets or wasps from infesting your birdhouses). But in the numbers you have there it is not practical.

Good luck with this. I hope you update this for us.

LQ

[Rick]

There are 2 kinds of wasps that are abundant here. One has a pair of legs that sit low like landing gear. The other type does not. I believe one is the mud dauber. Guess it's time for me to do a web search!

You might try spaying a borax and water (with a pinch of dish soap) solution where you do not want them. This will definitely discourage carpenter bees from boring. Maybe the wasps wouldn't like the taste either. LQ's suggestion of Petro-jelly sounds like a winner if you have an extension pole and brush.

Neither of our wasps have ever harmed us, in 7 summers. We have a pact. Move when we tell you to, don't sting or bite us, and nobody gets hurt. They can be coaxed off of a new nest onto a magazine, and then into the air. We have even gently taken established nests with no harm.

Now yellow jackets are a totally different story. That score is Rick bitten once, Ann bitten twice, The jackets "bitten" 1000 times.

Rick

[ldc]

SCRich, I've been stung in my house by mud daubers, and yes I had an allergic reaction. it's rare, but it happens. Pls. be ready! They are often a big problem here for me at this time of year. So far, almost none yet this season, but for us it's unseasonably cool so far; only 82 today, cool nights last week. Take care, I don't know of a longterm solution. ldc

[BaronsMom]

Mud daubers are medium-sized (1-1.5 inches) wasps with the front portion of the abdomen being long and highly constricted, giving them a "thread-waisted" appearance. In Nebraska, two common species are the blue mud dauber and the yellow and black mud dauber. Both species feed almost exclusively on spiders. These wasps do not defend their nests and are not likely to attack people. Mud dauber nests are constructed of mud or clay and often are found attached to the walls or under the eves of buildings.

When emergence holes are present in nests, the wasps have completed their life cycle and are no longer present. These nests should simply be removed and discarded. Nests without holes can be removed and crushed or treated with an insecticide. The destruction of nests discourages infestations by dermestid beetles and other insect scavengers which could move to other household items.

There are color photos of mud daubers and other wasp/bees on the site -

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/...licationId=355