Who - or what - builds a mud nest?

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jmp24 Medford, NJ Jul 18, 2009

Eek, I hate coming to this forum, gives me the heebeejeebees with all the spider photos...I don't care what their contribution to the world and humankind is, I don't like 'em!

My question is about those mud nests that some insects build. Not the little round ones you find on plants, this one is about 3 inches long by 2 inches wide, up inside a light fixture. It has no real shape, just a lumpy blob, no openings anywhere that I can see. I have not noticed any wasps or anything else going in and out of the fixture, even though it is in a visible area right on my back patio.- it appeared in a 3 or 4 day period.

anyone have any clues? I can't get a picture because of where it is, up inside the light globe.

Thanks

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themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) Jul 18, 2009

Sounds like dirt daubers. I believe they are a member of the wasp family, but don't think they are aggressive as I have knocked down the nests with daubers in them with no ill effects.

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jmp24 Medford, NJ Jul 19, 2009

thanks - I will see if I can find more info on them. The nest is right outside my back door, but if they won't be a problem, I would rather just leave them alone.

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gardengus Flora, IN(Zone 5a) Jul 19, 2009

The dirt daubers here are great for collecting the cabbage worms.Always glad to see them.

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jul 19, 2009

Mud dauber nests can take a variety of forms; see http://tinyurl.com/lha39t and http://tinyurl.com/knhz38 for examples. Usually, holes will appear on the exposed surface of the nest(s) only upon the emergence of the newly eclosed adult wasps or a parasite that has developed on a wasp.

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jmp24 Medford, NJ Jul 19, 2009

suunto, this nest is not quite that cylindrical, but I have seen those same exact mud nests in the grooves of the vertical wood siding on my house - so I am assuming we have those critters here.

I appreciate everyones help!

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