"The Mud Daubers" (Family Sphecidae)

These wasps are so called because they construct "nests" or brood chambers from mud. These clusters of mud are attached to the walls of buildings. The female mud dauber collects spiders which she stings and paralyzes and then places inside the mud chambers. She then deposits and egg on one of the spiders and leaves and closes the chamber. The young larval wasp hatches and feeds on the spiders provided. It later pupates and changes to an adult wasp which emerges from its mud chamber.

People become concerned when they find the clusters of mud on their homes. If the mud nests have holes in them it means the wasps have completed their life cycle and have left. Control is not necessary since mud daubers rarely sting and are beneficial in getting rid of unwanted spiders.