mud dauber

mud dauber

n. Midland & Western U.S.

Any of various wasps that build nests of mud with cellular compartments for eggs and paralyzed prey. Also called regionally dirt dauber, mud wasp.

Regional Note: There is no nationwide name for the wasp that makes itself a nest of mud. Rather, there are three regional variants. In the South, it is known as a dirt dauber. In the Northeast, and also scattered throughout the Midwest, it is a mud wasp. In between, in the Midlands, and also in the West, it has an in-between name, combining the first word of the Northern name and the last word of the Southern one to make mud dauber. One kind of mud-nesting wasp is also known as a potter wasp.

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mud dauber

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / 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

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

mud 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