mud dobbers

[kulas44]

I was just now sitting in my old wood Kulas drinking an undeserved beer (aint done nuthin since 10) contemplating carrying a nice fridge from the shop (20 feet) so I could have a nice cold one at hand, instead of going to my house every 30 minutes or so, followed by the ubiquitous "honey what are you doing now" speach. As I was mullin this over at least a dozen black mud dobbers flew past in there tireless quest to fill my boat with mud. I have coated every surface with poison (Cuprinol) and still they persist. While I am envious of there persistence and zeal for the task at hand, and wish I could muster the same enthusiasm, I dislike removeing there childrens capsules. Any ideas on how to deal with this ????

[Concordia..41]

I dislike removeing there childrens capsules If that's the case, leave them be unless they're in a place you're working. The ones that inhabit my world aren't aggressive, and an old dry nest is much easier to toss.

Recently I noticed something really gross on the white paneling in the garage bathroom/laundry room. Looked like someone had slung mud on the wall under a cabinet :confused:

A few days later I hear a buzz and there's a mud dobber in action building up one of the spots.

That was an easy choice, and a wet cloth removed all traces - even from cheap white paneling.

I've got two or three going in some of the garage shelves. From what I've noticed, they're not like spiders that leave a bunch of droppings, and when they're gone the clump just breaks off with no mess or fuss.

[ 06-09-2005, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: Concordia..41 ]

[hikingchrs]

What the Heck is a MUD dobber?
Chris

[kulas44]

I have had an epifany (sp).(I know, they have medication) While I agree that they are nonthreatening and harmless, and that there cacoons are easy to remove once dry and that they only kill spiders, I still dislike the fact that they are tireless and make me look lackadaisical (sp). However, on further analysis I have come up with the idea of plugging in one of the boat fridges in the shop with a cord and stashing my beer there, negating the treck to the homeplace and the confrontation with the boss. She has a LONG list of honeydews that gets longer everday. Upon further intelectual investigation I ascertained that I have another fridge and a freezer, plus a microwave stored in the shop (20 feet away). I could fill the bigger fridge with beer, the smaller one with snacks and the freezer with frozen pizza, heated to eat with the microwave. I wouldn't need to go to the big house till I got the divorce notice. The downside, she would get half the boat. When useing a chainsaw do you cut from stem to stern or athwartship ? (lotta beer gone today) Mud dobbers really promote the thinking process.

[kulas44]

Do our northern friends have mud dobbers ? My description of one is that they look similar to a wasp, usually black, sometimes reddish. They build Florida style miniature condominiums (one right next to the other, like cards in a deck). They sting and paralyze spiders which they put into these structures, each apartment then gets a single egg deposited in it and is sealed off. When the egg hatches the larvae eats the as of now unparalized spiders. It then pupaets into an adult mud dobber and finally chews out to begin the cycle again. They come in various sizes from the tiny one that catches afids to the huge tarantula hawk that only catches tarantulas (very interesting to watch,the dobber no always win) They are harmless to people but there lyfestyle is kinda morbid.

[hikingchrs]

I need some of them to eat the huge spiders in my basement.
Chris

[pipefitter]

Mud dobbers can find any little hole in anything. A 3/8ths copper tube,anything with a hole in it that would look impossible to see can be found by a mud dobber.I remember when I was rebuilding the engine in my old bronco and one had moved into the fuel line on my carb.Even the empty bolt holes on the engine block.

[Dan McCosh]

One of the highlights of sailing is unfurling your main and having dozens of paralyzed spiders and mud balls fall out. Second only to the great fishfly hatch, which is coming up soon.

[kulas44]

Ahhhh yes, I had forgotten about there afinity for holes, what a pain, and it will drive you nuts in a fuel line if you didn't clean it out befor installing.

[Dale R. Hamilton]

Lulas44. When I built my shop. I installed one of those cute little dorm refrigerators, so I could keep a dozen Becks cold. A little refreshment. Then a couple year back, somebody gave me a bigger frig, so now in addition to the Becks, I keep cheap lite beer (for my friends). Now we replaced the house frig for something better and it went out to the shop. It got filled with beer of course, but now gallon jugs of wine- red and white. Also a half gal whiskey, cokes, and of course lotsa ice. Would you believe I'm drinking more and building less these days? In fact, friends seems to be making regular pilgmages to the shop. Have I done something wrong somewhere along the way?

[ahp]

Well....It depends on your goals.

[Noah]

We have mud dobbers here as well. They love my boat, and you are right, they never stop going. Everytime I go into the counter I find another few mud chambers.

[David W Pratt]

You can go to their puddle and pour in food coloring and the mud tubes will be colored.

[kulas44]

Awsome, I gotta try that, I wonder if I could get some florecent colors, wouldn't that look cool at night when the light hits it ? As for the cooler in the shop, I can see where this could snowball into an unmanageable situation. I have just about the correct amount of friends now and don't really need anymore, especially more like I already have !!!! I.m thinking that a shop with A.C., 3 fridges full of beer, wine and likker, and some snacks would be like scattering sugar on the floor to attract a few ants, I would never get rid of all my new friends.

[pipefitter]

Maybe you can get the mud dobbers to nest near the fridge,convincing your new friends that they are actually wasps.

[kulas44]

Nope, won't work, all my buddies know what a dobber looks like. However, if I could get there mud huts to glow in the dark I could convince my pals that the dobbers have been getting there radioactive building materials from the Fort Sill neuclear testing site a few miles away, that would cut down on the unsolicited visitations.

[Mr. Smee]

This is what worked for me. Here in SoCal we have these wasps that make nests under the housing eves. Take a small zip lock bag and fill it with tap water then staple it where the lil' buggers will see it. If your dobbers are any relation to those on the left coast it should scare them off.
There's something about the reflection or distortion of the image the bugs see that frightens them away. I didn't have any for years using this method. One day the neighbor wondered why he had them all! Hee, hee. I work at a San Diego back country resort with all kinds of wildlife and this has worked successfully there, too.

Temporarily unhooked,
Mr. Smee

[willmarsh3]

When I raised the sails after not sailing for a while these mud balls and dead spiders and stuff fell out - on top of my guests!!!!. :( :( :( A bit embarassing. Lesson learned: go sailing more often.

On another occasion I had a birds nest fall out - with live chicks. Lesson learned: listen for chirping under the sail cover first and go sailing more often. smile.gif

Will.