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 being a female, has a stinger; each can sting. Due to
shiny black or brown, orange or yellow, with black
their size and fierce looks, however, stings are
markings. Many have long slender thread waists.
extremely uncommon. When there is undue worry
about these huge wasps, open soil burrows can be
dusted individually; the female will be killed when she
returns.
Like Carpenter bees there is no protective worker
caste; these wasps are not aggressive; they will not
sting unless pressed or handled. Mud Daubers place
their mud nests in protected places like electric
motors, sheds, attics, against house siding and under
porch ceilings. So many wasps congregate at the same
site to construct the mud nests that later removal of the
nests and repainting is often expensive.
SUMMARY
Habitat Alteration and Pesticide Application
Stinging insects are included in the very large
Mud daubers are killed easily with aerosol contact
order Hymenoptera. Hymenoptera undergo complete
sprays. Scrape away mud nests, and cover problem
metamorphosis and thousands of species are parasites
areas with a good quality smooth paint. Nesting should
of other insects. When they parasitize pest insects,
be discouraged on porticos and high porches of
man lists them as beneficial insects; in many instances
historically important buildings.
they are encouraged, protected or reared and released
for their pest suppression qualities. Many species of
CICADA KILLER WASPS
Hymenoptera are social, including stinging insects
Family Sphecidae
such as yellowjackets, paper wasps and honey bees as
Sphecius speciosus
well as the ants. Stinging social insects (with the
Cicada killers are very large yellow and black
single queen) can be very aggressive because there are
relatives of mud daubers, however they do not look
many workers that can be used to protect the hive and
like mud daubers. More than one inch long, they look
even expend their life doing it. Stinging, non-social
like "monster" yellowjackets.
hymenoptera such as mud daubers, cicada killers and
carpenter bees tend to be non-aggressive and are
Pest Management
usually single, fertile females or queens that do not
Cicada killers can be ignored by those who accept
have a colony or a protective caste with the individuals
an explanation of their harmless nature. Each wasp,
that can be expended.
Module Two, Chapter 2, Pg 8
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