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what bug makes a mud nest about 1.5" - 2" long, cylinder-like in shape?

T

ttown

Platinum Member
So... I was on my boat down at the marina -- and came across a funky "nest" inside my boats outboard engine compartment. It somewhat resembled a smallish caterpillar in size and shape, and was made out of what looked like mud, or other pretty hard material.
It actually looked like 3 caterpillars stacked in a pyramid.
I brought it home and figured I'd crack it open and see what's inside....

A couple days go by before I remember I brought it home. I go to check it out, and...
whatever was inside has chewed its way out of 2 of the 3 chambers-- AND IS SOMEWHERE IN MY HOUSE!!

The third chamber was slightly open when I found it at the boat, and all that was in there was a bunch of dried up legs - and I couldn't tell what it was -- like spiders? caterpillar? ???

No pics... as I disposed of everything.

Does anyone know what it/they could be? It kind of creeps me out.

I'd guess its some sort of spider(s), as there are spider webs on nearly every boat -- including mine -- but I thought/think spiders have a soft "cacoon" type nest ??
 
Mud Dobbers! Black wasps that collect mud. The larvae look like spiders, but they are actually wasps.
 
Sounds like a mud dauber wasp. They are a kind of large ichneumon wasp that goes around and catches spider for their young to munch on. They're not mean like most wasps and hornets. If you smash the nests while it's away, it'll probably move on.
 
Probably a mud wasp. If the larvae escaped into your house you need to be careful. If you feel any itching see a doctor right away!
 
Originally posted by: Thera
Probably a mud wasp. If the larvae escaped into your house you need to be careful. If you feel any itching see a doctor right away!
Click to expand...
Oh hell no... my arm itches. Don't EVEN tell me...!

OK... now I'm totally freaked.

 
mud wasps. I get their nests on my house all the time. I like to take the power washer to them before the larvae have broken through and flown off.
 
Originally posted by: Thera
Probably a mud wasp. If the larvae escaped into your house you need to be careful. If you feel any itching see a doctor right away!
Click to expand...

why would the larvae make his arm itch?
 
Originally posted by: Linflas
Welcome to the World of the Mud Daubers
Click to expand...
yep. the nests looked like THIS -- except a stack of 3 of them.

I also found a single wasp inside the cabin of the boat, along with the beginning of a hive -- a bit larger than a golf-ball in size. It looked like a yellow mud dauber.
Swept the hive out and the wasp hovered around for a few minutes -- but seems to have left.

Pretty nasty description of the momma wasp stuffing spiders in the nest for the baby wasps to eat....

Anyone know if they emerge ready to fly? or do they crawl around for a while first?
 
oh man.. how freaky.. good luck, i hope you kill it... or maybe capture it.. learn it's language and set it loose on the general public as your minion
 
They dont sting, we used to have them all over my uncles house boat. I would fish for hours and hours and never got stung once by them. There is also a nest in my parents garage right now, and I was helping them clean this weekend and did not get stung.

Go ahead and kill if its bothering you, but you wont get stung so dont worry.
 
Meh... if they are hiding out INSIDE your house, chances are they'll die of starvation long before you find them.
 
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