Any idea what made this?

14 years ago

I hope this is the right forum.

I found this on the back of my house, under the hood for the oven fan exhaust. It can't be more than a month or so old. I don't see any holes in it, so if it's some sort of nest, I don't know how anything is getting in or out.

I'm tempted to jab it with a very, very long pole to see what's inside, but I'm not sure what I'll unleash!

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

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Comments (8)

sameboat
14 years ago
Ewww. Do you think it's made of mud? Is it dry? It's not a honeycomb. I wonder if something laid it's eggs and formed a hard outer shell to protect them. Could it be a spider egg pod or some sort of beetle egg incubator? How big is it? It also would be helpful if we knew what state you are in.
stevestriff
Original Author
14 years ago
I'm in central NJ. Yes, it looks like dried mud. It's a couple inches high and maybe an inch across. Maybe as big as the palm of my hand, but barely.
Someone else had suggested spiders, if it is then I'd have no issues knocking it down. I'm concerned about something in it that could fly and sting!
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talena0726
14 years ago
It looks like a mud dauber's nest (a type of wasp)
paul21
14 years ago
Yep ! Mud dauber's nest !
texasredhead
14 years ago
The mud dabber builds her nest into which she lays her "eggs". Her favorite food to leave for her young as they hatch are black widow spiders. These wasps are not agressive. I see them getting water from our pool to use to make mud. If it bothers you, just knock it down.
azzalea
14 years ago
Yes, we have a few around. DH was recently talking (casually) to an exterminator who said that they're not agressive, won't bother humans except under the most extreme circumstances, they eat spiders and it's best to just leave them because they're that beneficial.
itsnotworking
14 years ago
Im no expert but WASPS.
lazypup
14 years ago
That is definitely a mud dauber wasp nest, and as was stated before, mud daubers are not aggressive, but even if they were aggressive there would be no threat to you unless there were adult wasps sitting on the outside in plain view.

The mud duaber makes that nest by using mud to form small diameter tubes into which the lay an egg and pack a few spiders inside before the seal the tube. When the egg hatches it produces the "Larval Stage" of the insect, which is basically a little worm properly called a larvae.

The larvae eats the spiders and matures to the "Pupal" stage, which is the Cacoon stage where the larvae transforms into the adult insect. When they reach the full adult stage they break open the tube and fly out.

you could use a stick or putty knife to knock that nest down without any serious risk to your person.