We get a type here that build sets along any wide crack, including air vents in
exterior walls. They're large, orange wasps and appear fr about two weeks in
early summer. The mud 'cells' are small and if broken open, each one contains a
small, black spider. Spiders are a typical target for this kind of parasitic
activity. I've seen a standoff between a huge wasp, 5mm long, and the local
'tarantula' - the Huntsman. Fascinating stuff - after 20 minutes they were
still working through attack and defence strategies.
Andrew Fildes
afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.soultheft.com
Author/Publisher: The SLR Compendium - http://www.blurb.com/books/3732813
On 13/09/2013, at 12:48 AM, Charles Geilfuss wrote:
> Those were likely made by one of a number of insects know around here as
> "Mud Daubers". All are species of wasps that breed by capturing and
> paralyzing some type of insect that they entomb in a mud tunnel after first
> laying an egg on it. The larva lives off the captured insect until it
> matures and makes its way out of the mud tunnel. They are very common here
> and all are very non-aggressive. The mud tubes are unsightly but scrape
> off easily.
--
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