Mud Daubers are non-social members of the wasp family. They do not rely on colonies for survival, as do social insects like ants and Honey Bees. Mud Daubers are considered a nuisance pest, and rarely sting even if their nest is disturbed. They can be easily identified by their long legs and long skinny waist that is stretched out between their thorax and abdomen.

Just like their name implies, they build their nests out of mud, creating multiple short tubes about an inch long placed adjacent to each other. The purpose of each tube is to house a single egg. The queen will sting and paralyze a spider, remove or cripple the spider’s legs, then place the body into the tube as a food source. She then seals off with the mud tube until the growing wasp completes metamorphosis and emerges as an adult.

Mud Daubers are generally considered beneficial insects, as they prey on undesirable spiders and other household pests, but their mud nests can be very unsightly on a nice house. Removal of the nest is recommended, and can usually be performed without chemical treatment.