Introduction: Ever since I was born, I’ve loved bugs. I would go into my garden to search for centipedes. When other children would dramatically run from bees, I would hold them. When cicadas came up north (I live in northeast USA) and basically took over the outdoors, I would take them off the trees and attach them to my arms and clothing.
So when I was in school, I tried to save any poor insect that was trapped. Ladybugs, bees, and to most peoples surprise, hornets. My middle school had a mud dauber hive somewhere nearby. That’s why the most common bug that I would find and attempt to rescue was these.
The actual story: So when I was in 7th grade, the most amazing experience happened with a hornet that I’ll never forget. It was January, I was in P.E. at the time. There was a mud dauber on the gym floor. She hadn’t been crushed yet, so I carefully scooped her up and brought her outside. About 15 minutes later, I went back to check on her. She was freezing to death. I quickly scooped her up again and brought her back inside. I tried to warm her up with my hands and breathed warm air on her. I felt a connection to her. She knew I was trying to help her live, and she seemed grateful. She would snuggle into the palm of my hand. Not too long after, she was lively again! I was ecstatic. She certainly drew attention from the other students though. I couldn’t exactly let her back outside into the cold, so I decided to try and keep her with me for the rest of the day. It seemed possible because PE was the second to last period. After last period, though, was study hall. I brought her to my last period, math, and tried to keep her alive. I wasn’t sure why but she was curling up into the position insects go to when they die. I realized the room was just too hot for her. I tried giving her water to keep her alive. Putting droplets of cool water on her seemed to be working. She made it to the end of the last period, but then she curled up and was about to die. I tried leaving to go to study hall as quick as I could.
I dropped her on accident. She was curling up, and when I kneeled to pick her up for the last time, she stung me. I knew she didn’t sting me to hurt me. I know hornets don’t die from stinging. But she stung me to die. I left the room and tried heading to study hall. My English teacher stopped me and said something like “ew, what are you doing with a bug? Throw it out, now.” I’ll be honest, I cried. Not because of the pain, but because I lost my friend,
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So I've had a few mud daubers -- like 15 ish last year or two years ago end up in a bathroom that always collected near the only non closable window. Basically I figured it was the window and they were sneaking in somehow, but this year I'm realizing they're coming in the bathroom exhaust vent.
I have a bathroom with two exhaust vents (one in a small toilet room and another) and I'm positive they're coming in one. I sealed them off and can hear them buzzing in the vent fan/tried to get down and out the sides. I'm STILL seeing some get into the bathroom.
I noticed one's antennas sticking out from a light fixture on my bathroom wall (it doesn't have alight box, unfortunately.)
SO basically they're in that area chilling in the blown in insulation there and in teh exhaust vents.. I've been killing them for days and I'm at my wits end how to get them out of the vent without getting swarmed. This is in north Texas and they seem to be very non aggressive, and I've seen a few mud dauber nests outside on the exterior of my house which I've knocked down.
I'm just trying to figure out how to get these bastards to go away without nuking my house with chemicals. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Why YSK: despite looking intimidating, Mud Daubers are solitary and not aggressive unless provoked. They can be seen flying around garages, barns, and other structures. They build mud nests and kill spiders for food. They’re the main predator of the Black Widow spider. Don’t kill them! Personally, I’d rather have a docile wasp bro hanging around than a bunch of spiders.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_dauber
I was wonder what these where on my fan outside on the deck. Are they mud daubers? What should I do or look out for. I only see mud spots but no build up. Thanks.
