Mud daubers are a pest throughout all of the United States. There are several species which are the most likely to nest on your home and these include the organ pipe, the black and yellow, the blue, the potter wasp and the mason species. These wasps are so categorized because they create larva rearing mud tubes in which young develop. You will find these nests on the sides of your home.
In case this is not what you’re looking for, we also have in depth articles on: CICADA KILLERS DIGGER WASPS EUROPEAN HORNETS HORNTAIL WASPS WASPS YELLOW JACKETS
MUD DAUBER NESTS
Mud daubers like to construct these nests between brick in the mortar joint, where wood trim facia boards and molding meet and around window and door frames. Their nests are similar yet different. Though they all seem to be the same type of nest, in fact each species has distinct characteristics associated with design patterns of the mud. The easiest to identify is the organ pipe whose nests are long and resemble the way the pipes of an organ sit. Black and yellow daubers build their nests more on top of each other and the other species are different still. Regardless of the way these nests are constructed, mud daubers frighten many people and have been mistaken for termites on too many occasions.
MUD DAUBER PROBLEM
Most mud daubers feed on spiders. Females seek out spiders, sting them and deposit their bodies in the back of a larva cell of their nest. An egg is then laid on the spider for the young to feed. A female will typically have several eggs in a single “pipe” and will have 3-6 pipes per nest. If conditions allow, she may have more than one nest. It is not just coincidence that nests seem to prevail on certain homes. It appears to be homes which are stucco, brick or other porous rough surfaces which they like. It is both easier to build nests on such surfaces as well as the fact that nests seem to hold better once constructed on them. This lends credence to the theory that daubers generated from nests built on such surfaces are more likely to use an identical surface for their own reproduction which further explains why one house may seem to be infested with dauber activity!!
MUD DAUBER STINGS
Though colorful and sometimes bright in color, mud daubers are not as likely to sting as others. It does have a stinger which is used for it’s food but generally will not use it unless provoked. Their bodies are somewhat frail compared to other wasps yet are wizards at using mud and carrying it around to construct their nests. If your house is serving as the local mud dauber neighborhood, there is a simple way to control them. (Don’t waste your time using the garden hose hoping to chase them away. In case you haven’t figured it out, they’ll be back!
MUD DAUBER SPRAY
Like most wasps, they don’t like CYPERMETHRIN. This product is both easy to use and works great at controlling local infestations. Your method of treatment will vary on the time of the year you are treating. If it is spring and they have just begun nest making, simply spray the Cypermethrin on the sides of the home where there is activity.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
This can be done with both a HOSE END SPRAYER or a PUMP SPRAYER.
Solo 454 Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/sprayers/solo-1-gallon-sprayer
Hose End Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/sprayers/gilmour-20g-390
Though the hose end sprayer is easier to use, it will tend to waste more material since you are applying it so much faster than the pump sprayer. The pump sprayer may not be able to reach quite high enough so you may need both pieces of equipment. Which ever you use, try to get about 500-1000 sq/ft of coverage per gallon of material used. Mix the chemical one ounce to a gallon and start high when treating. This will allow over spray to be efficiently used as it flows down the side of the home.
Most homes need 2-4 gallons to get adequate protection all the way around. Although you may only see activity on one side of the home, try to treat as many sides as you can. This will prevent them from simply moving to the untreated side of your house instead of moving off your property completely. Expect to make applications about once a month throughout the spring and then a few more during the year.
MUD DAUBER WASP FREEZE
If you already have a lot of nests, the sequence of treatment should be two steps. First, try to knockdown as many of the nests you can using a stick or some type of pole. Try to use the longest stick or pole you have and don’t be alarmed if you see adults. They should avoid you. If you want some extra protection, get a can of STINGER FREEZE which will drop them as they fly. You may see some larva in the nest as well. They will be white and grub like. Be sure to remove as many of the grubs and as much of the nest that you can reach.
Stinger: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/sting-ray-wasp-freeze
MUD DAUBER AEROSOL
If you’re not afraid of getting stung, use DFORCE AEROSOL instead of the Stinger Freeze. Dforce will work just as well on their nests and though it won’t drop them instantly like the Freeze, the time needed to spray is short so your chances of having a mud dauber see you is slim.
D-Force: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol
Once they have been scraped, treat with the Cypermethrin as detailed above. Daubers which are away from the nest will either die if they land on treated surfaces or will simply be repelled from creating new nests. Within a few days all activity will cease. Since daubers tend to return to where they were born, it may take a season or two before they ignore your home completely.
Mud daubers are persistent once they identify your home as a place they like to nest. Treat with Cypermethrin to stop them. If you are able to treat early in the spring, you can expect 1-3 treatments to keep your home dauber free for the season. If you have a big infestation, it will require removing active nests and spraying over as much of the home you are able to access. This will insure they don’t simply move over to untreated areas.
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Comments on MUD DAUBER TREATMENTS
Ken @ 2:41 pm
Mud daubers like to build nests in our boat’s folded sails. When we’ve finished sailing we flake the mainsail onto the boom and cover it with a canvas “jacket”. When we return a week later and hoist the sail we often find that mud daubers crept in under the jacket and built nests within the folds of the sail. We need a repellant but we’re reluctant to use any chemical spray or oil that might discolor our sails, or any solid device that could emit fumes under the hot jacket….for the same reason. Any ideas? Is the Waspinator effective against mud daubers?
Tech Support @ 6:03 pm
I don’t think the Waspinator will help in this case because mud daubers do not appear to be “territorial”. Additionally, the Waspinator mimics a different species altogether and one daubers do not fear. Lastly, people who’ve tried using one for mud daubers have not gotten any positive results so I can’t recommend it.
What I do know is that I keep a boat on a local lake and fight with Mud Daubers who nest just under the canvas covers I use to cover my boat. The boat is 25′ long with two large covers and daubers will target any edge. Their nests have been an ongoing issue for many years nesting just under the cover and in the folds and seams of the canvas. They also enter air vents to my hull and motor compartment where they build messy mud nests that have caused motor issues in the past.
To deal with the problem, I started applying Phantom Aerosol to any surface they want to use. This aerosol is unique in that it goes on “dry”, is odorless and after using it for more than a year, has not discolored or affected the canvas (black) or the boat decking in any way. Even when freshly applied it does not make the surface “wet” or leave any visible residue. I now “mist” into all the exhaust vents as well as the canvas edging and this has proven to work well at stopping them.
I also use Phantom throughout my home for various pests because I have hardwood floors and cannot spray any kind of liquid without making a mess. Phantom goes on without leaving any sign it’s there so in my opinion, this would be your best bet.
One other thing; Phantom doesn’t work fast like most insecticides. It will take a good 2-3 days to have any kind of impact on targeted insects so don’t expect to see wasps dead just after treating. What I find happens is that one week after I treat, all the activity around my boat ceases. And if I treat once a month, it seems to keep them away for the season.
Phantom: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
Waspinator: http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/pheromone-and-food/waspinator-repellent-nest
Rosanne Wisor @ 9:35 am
I have mud daubers making nests in the ground. They leave holes where they enter and exit. I have at least 30 holes and because they are so active I can’t weed or even walk close to where they are. They’re are on the south side of the house so it is all day sun. Help! Thanks.
Rosanne
Tech Support @ 1:54 pm
I suspect you have either Digger Wasps or Cicada Killers. As explained in our article above, Mud Daubers build their nests on the side of structures and not in the ground.
Regardless of which wasp it turns out to be, if you want them gone you’ll need to drench their nests with Cypermethrin. Use 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of mixed solution per nest. And mix the Cypermethrin up at 1 oz per gallon of water.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Do the treatment in the evening for best results. More details on how to use this method of treating is in the Cicada Killer article here:
Cicada Killers: http://www.bugspray.com/articles99/cicadakillers.html
And our Digger Wasp article can be found here:
Digger Wasps: http://www.bugspray.com/articles99/diggerwasps.html
debbie @ 8:34 pm
We have blue mud daubers around the casing of our in ground pool at two corners and we can’t seem to get rid of them. We killed one and compared it to make sure that they are indeed blue mud daubers we need them gone because of allergies and little kids. Please help!!!!!
Tech Support @ 11:08 pm
Treating with the Cypermethrin mentioned above would work fine if you’re able to do the treatment without getting the spray into the pool water. But a better option would be to dust the crack and void with some Deltamethrin Dust using a Hand Duster. This would be easy to do, kill any dauber nests immediately and last a good month or two. Plus any dust that drifts into the water would be rendered harmless because all you need is water to clean it up.
Delta Dust: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/deltamethrin-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
scott klaverkamp @ 11:18 am
We live in the country and the wasps are building nests in every can light in our covered decks. I can remove the light bulb, but you have to stick your hand inside to remove the baffle which I don’t want to do. Any type of spray I can use without damaging the light components?
Tech Support @ 11:55 am
We have a unique aerosol that will handle this problem. Phantom is both odorless and fine to use around electrical components. When used properly, it will go on “dry”. In fact I have problems with both spiders and mud daubers on my boat. The daubers like to enter exhaust vents and build nests inside the motor compartment. Spiders like building nests all over the decking of the boat. But by treating these areas every 2-3 weeks during the spring, summer and fall, I’ve been able to effectively stop this behavior for good. And since the Phantom is odorless and goes on dry, you can’t even tell anything been applied to the boat. For cosmetic reasons, this is important.
Additionally, since my engine compartment has a lot of electrical components, I have to be careful what I use there. The good news is that after a few years of using the Phantom on the wiring, I know it’s not done any damage or had any impact other than eliminating the pest problem I was treating so I know it will work for you too.
Basically all you need to do is direct the spray alongside the light bulb, without having to remove it, and give a one second blast to 2-3 sides of the bulb which will completely treat the can. This should effectively cover the area and though you won’t see immediate results, the treatment will kill anything that touches the treated surface in 1-2 days. So with daubers, I find by 3 days after the treatment, they’re all dead.
Retreat during the warm summer months twice a month and you’ll be able to solve this problem for good.
Phantom: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
scott klaverkamp @ 9:39 am
@Tech Support:
Will it kill what is in the mud (nest) also, or do I have to knock down the nest?
Tech Support @ 9:44 am
Nothing can kill developing pupae so if there are any deep inside the mud nest, no, they’ll still be alive. But if the nest is new, like two weeks or less in development, there won’t be any eggs laid just yet.
That being said, what I always suggest is to treat with the Phantom, wait 3 days for it to kick in and then knock down any nest you can find. In theory, no new nests should ever develop after you knock down the old nests if you wait at least 3 days and follow the recommended schedule.
Ken Pedersen @ 11:35 am
@Tech Support:
We bought a can of Phantom and have used it successfully all season…..after each sail we’d spray all edges of the sail cover and also the end access points, including the sail’s luff. Only one mud dauber found its way under our sail cover and that was likely due to: 1) inattention (3 weeks lapse) on our part, and 2) not thinking that a prolonged rain might diminish some of Phantom’s effectiveness. A quick weekly spray does the job and we’ve gone 2 weeks between sprays without any bug access.
Tech Support @ 11:44 am
Great to hear! I use Phantom all the time on my boat (no sails but lots of holes for them to access) and I wish I was as persistent as you! My New Year’s resolution will be to make sure I get an application done once every two weeks. My current spray routine (once a month) holds off the mud daubers fine but not the spiders. I think I’ll ramp up my efforts in 2013 to once every 2 weeks and I bet that will do the trick. Again, good to hear you’ve been wasp free and happy sailing in 2013!
Phantom: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
Marty @ 3:37 pm
I have hundreds of nests up in my attic; just discovered them. They seem dormant at the moment. Should I knock them down and get rid of them or leave them?
Tech Support @ 5:13 pm
If you have access, I would remove them. This can generally be done with any kind of scraper. Since mud daubers will be over wintering and ready to hatch out this spring, removing them now will help reduce problems for you this spring and summer.
Next, I’d either dust or spray all the exposed wood with Drione (dust) or Bifen (spray). The Drione would be the longest lasting solution. Albeit the treatment will be a bit more tedious to make but one dusting a year is all you’d need to do and for me, because Drione works so well it’s well worth the time and effort to get it applied.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Alternatively, if you wanted to spray something, the Bifen can last 2-3 months and would be easier to apply. However, you’ll need to treat at least 3 times per season to keep them out of this space all year.
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
Lastly, I’d try to isolate how they’re getting into this space. My bet is you have an attic vent with screening that’s not quite “tight” enough. Inspect any vents to your attic and if you find screening that’s too wide, missing or damaged, add a tighter mess screen to help sure it up and keep the daubers out. In the end, blocking their way into this space can be an effective strategy for sure.
Gerald Smith @ 3:54 pm
@Tech Support: Good information! I have these holes all along the edge of my pond, sometimes going down to the water level and causing the ground to sink in spots. I’ve been filling the holes with Sakrete and filling in the last couple of inches with dirt. I can imagine an archeologist digging up my yard in 200 years and wondering about the meaning of those concrete pillars!
Mary @ 12:30 pm
We have a 20′ porch ceiling and mud daubers like to nest on the high walls back there. Can Cypermethrin be used in a power washer….it’s the only thing that will reach that height. And if so what about blowback spray…is it harmful to humans?
Tech Support @ 1:07 pm
As a general rule, it’s very wasteful to spray any insecticide that high onto an inverted surface because most of the material you apply will simply drip off.
But can it be applied this way? Yes. And if you equip yourself with some rubber gloves, a face shield and a protective suit, you could proceed without getting any of the mixed product on the person doing the application.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Face Shield: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/safety/face-shield-kit
Large Coveralls: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/safety/coveralls-disposable-large
We also know of customers using our Hose End sprayers to apply the cypermethrin this way and though messy, most any garden hose can spray this 20 feet up using this sprayer:
Hose End Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/sprayers/gilmour-20g-390e
Alternatively, using a paint brush or a paint roller at the end of a long extension pole would prove to be a lot more effective resulting in very little chemical waste. No doubt it will take longer to apply but in the end, you’ll only need to use 1 gallon of mixed solution per 500 sq/ft.
Now if you choose to spray, expect to use 3-4 times as much of the Cypermethrin since most of it will be dripping off. For this reason the “efficiency factor” can be big dollar wise.
Lastly, we also have many people using a misting machine to “mist” such areas. This is by far the most effective way to cover the area and as long as you can get within 15 feet of the surfaces you want reach, the misting machines will blanket the surface evenly.
Using this method, you can get adequate coverage for the same 500 sq/ft in just 30-60 seconds. And you’ll be using a lot less material. Maybe just 16-32 oz of mixed solution compared to 1 gallon or more when spraying and most of it is dripping away.
No doubt the machine needed is an investment but since it will last for many years, it will effectively pay for itself in chemical cost savings and since it can be used in the yard for mosquitoes, gnats and other biting pests, a device that can be put to use for sure.
FM6309: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/foggers/fogmaster-6309-120-v
One last note; for areas like ceilings, you’ll find Onslaught to be a better product over the Cypermethrin. This is because it will last 6-12 months per treatment and for exterior ceilings, it’s the way to go if you don’t feel like spraying every month or two.
I use it for my front porch ceiling which is only 10 feet hight and I actually paint it on. I go through around 1 gallon since I’ve got a large bead board ceiling up there but the treatment takes care of daubers, spiders and moths we so it’s well worth the time doing the treatment.
Onslaught: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/onslaught
Mary @ 7:58 am
Great info, thanks! Can the Onslaught also be used in and around boats without staining or discoloring the covers?
Tech Support @ 8:06 am
It can. But as a boat owner myself, I’m not sure liquid sprays are your best bet. Now if you’ve got a cabin cruiser that has a lot of carpeting, using a liquid is fine. But I have a deck boat with lots of high glossy finishes so a liquid isn’t the best for these areas. And for my covers – especially where my bimini top zippers onto the metal frame that holds it in place – I use an aerosol called Phantom.
Phantom: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
Phantom is odorless and goes on “dry”. A light misting to all the edges of my three covers is all I need to do every 2-3 weeks and it stops mud daubers as well as spiders. I get tons of spider webs on my boat along with the daubers but the Phantom keeps both under control.
I use it for all the air vents found on the boat too since the daubers love going in these to nest. I’m talking about the engine exhaust ports and air vents as well as around the engine covers and basically, any door frame.
You may want to give the Phantom a shot; it’s handy, easy to use and is ideally suited for use at the dock and boat.