mud dauber

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mud dauber

n.
Any of various solitary predatory wasps, especially of the families Sphecidae and Crabronidae, that build nests of mud and provision them with paralyzed prey.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

mud dauber

n
(Animals) any of various wasps of the family Sphecidae, that construct cells of mud or clay in which they lay their eggs and store live insects as food for the developing larvae. See also digger wasp
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mud′ daub`er


n.
any of several wasps of the family Sphecidae that build a nest of mud cells and provision it with paralyzed spiders or insects for the larvae to feed on.
[1855–60, Amer.]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.mud dauber - wasp that constructs mud cells on a solid base in which females place eggs laid in paralyzed insect larvaemud dauber - wasp that constructs mud cells on a solid base in which females place eggs laid in paralyzed insect larvae
sphecoid, sphecoid wasp - any of various solitary wasps
family Sphecidae, Sphecidae - mud daubers; some digger wasps
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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References in periodicals archive ?
"Many wasp species, such as paper wasps and mud daubers, can be aggressive any time they are away from a safe haven like their nest, and so you should avoid coming in contact with them."
Giant swarm of wasps descends on city street
Mud daubers have a long, sleek build, with a super narrow waist.
Femme fatales
Let the hoses dry; couple or cap the ends to keep dirt and insects, such as spiders and mud daubers, out of the hose; and then store the hose away from sunlight to protect it from ultraviolet radiation.
DIY Dual Watering System: One reader shares how to build a unique watering system that incorporates both soaker hoses and drip irrigation
It was true that he moved more slowly; that he had no heart for the slaughter of rabbits pilfering his garden, or mud daubers drifting from room to room.
Motes
Terry Nye, chief of the Lane Fire Authority, said Thursday that investigators traced the origin of the fire to an electrical box inside the barn that mud daubers had built a mud nest around.
News
There are surprising examples of species co-existing (small birds nesting in the huge webs of social spiders in Africa); examples of different shapes of homes (termites building flattened mounds to possibly help their food stores dry out faster after seasonal flooding); examples of animals selecting building materials by certain sizes (caddisfly larva picking out specific sizes of sand grains), manipulating building materials for stability (mud daubers and swallows vibrating mud as they build, to achieve uniform consistency and prevent cracking), even parasites that manipulate their host's building behavior (parasitic wasps forcing spiders to spin cocoon webs before sucking them dry)!
Animal behavior
Examine the eaves and vents of all your buildings, removing nests of paper wasps and mud daubers. Then install vented soffit in the eaves to cover the rafter tails, and fiberglass screen over the roof vents to deny the insects a place to nest.
Spring has sprung! Building principles
He tackles dozens of critters, including those on your lawn and garden as well as those in your house, and along with the annoying chiggers, hornworms and mosquitoes we find bumblebees, praying mantises, and even mud daubers, who at least provide hours of amusement.
Hey, bug doctor!; the scoop on insects in Georgia's homes and gardens
We had to whisk away the cobwebs and mud daubers, now the occupiers of this lonely haven.
The $1 log house

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