5 Tips On How To Get Rid Of Pesky Dirt Dobbers In Your House And Garden

Have you ever experienced having unexplainable hollow cracked dirt stuck in the patches and on your ceiling? Do you ever wonder how all of a sudden there are numerous thin-long, black and yellow flying insects wandering in the inside and outside your house? The dirt you see is a nest that serves as a shelter and at the same time, an egg-laying place for this insect known as the dirt dobber or the mud dauber wasp.

A dirt dobber with yellow markings. Via: Flickr.com

The reason behind why this insect likes to stay in your house or in your garden is mainly for shelter and food. The main course for its meal are spiders and some insects commonly found in houses. Though it is harmless, unless you are allergic to insects and wasps, its appearance seems to look the opposite which makes people fearful of what it can do. Moreover, dirt dobber can also affect both the health and the appearance of your plants. Just imagine your healthy-looking garden infested with these insects— totally a turn-off.

Dirt dobbers can be stopped from spreading. There are easy yet effective ways that are being practiced by people to prevent its damage and propagation. If you have these insects in your home and garden, there’s no need to fret much. You can still do something to have an insect-free garden. Just follow these tips below on how to get rid of dirt dobbers for good.

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Dirt dobber can affect your plant’s growth

5 Tips On How To Get Rid Of Dirt Dobbers

Tip #1: Find The Nest

A dirt dobber nest resembles a chandelier on the ceiling. Via: Flickr.com

The first thing to do is to look for this insect’s shelter. One thing to check are areas with spider webs. The dirt dobbers love to eat spiders, so they are attracted to the places where these insects live. Such places are the garage, garden, and all the places where they can eat other insects.

The nest of a dirt dobber is made up of mud coming from moist places like the river, a pond or stream, or anywhere where it can collect wet soil. The nest has eggs that eventually can be adults. It is important for you to know where these nests are so you would know where to start your dirt dobber-free operation.

Tip #2: Use The Right Tools

A small knife can be used to scrape the dirt dobber’s nest. Via: Flickr.com

For those who have drywalls, you can use a flat tool like a knife or a flat screw to scrape the nest area. It would be better if you have an available flat tool that can take off the whole nest so that you won’t have any trouble of having the nest fall into pieces. Never use liquids to clean it since it can only scatter the dirt of the nesting area.

Tip #3: Pay Attention To White-Colored Walls

Pay attention to the part of your house or garden that is painted in white. The dirt dobbers are usually attracted to light colors like white. However, it doesn’t mean that they can’t thrive on colored walls. So, you might waNt to check the parts of your house that are painted white or some gardening pots in white. This tip was discovered by one homeowner who painted one wall of his house in white and the other one in blue.

Tip #4: Use Hot Water And Pressure Washer

Pouring a cup of hot water helps get rid of dirt dobber’s nest

Some dirt dobber’s nesting areas are hard to remove or scrape. If this is the case, you can resort to other alternatives. You can pour hot water on their nesting area to wipe the dirt or mud. If there are stubborn dirt, you can use a pressure washer. Make sure to adjust the nozzle so as not to damage the walls and ceilings of your house or the fence of your garden.

Tip #5: Spray With Pesticides With Pyrethrins

A dirt dobber hanging on a leaf while stinging a spider. Via: Flickr.com

If the dirt dobbers in your garden are already too many to remove manually, you can then use pesticide. Choose a pesticide that has pyrethrins in it. Pyrethrin is a chemical known to be effective in controlling dirt dobbers, making them the most used pesticide on how to get rid dirt dobbers. Experts also suggest that you spray this pesticide either early in the morning or late evening.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Get Rid Of Dirt Dobbers

Below are the most commonly asked questions about dirt dobbers:

1. Are Dirt Dobbers Harmful?

Dirt dobbers are not aggressive insects, yet once you disturb their nesting area, they might attack and sting you. Their stings don’t do much damaged; however, dirt dobber’s sting might cause more damage to people with certain allergies. The dirt dobber’s sting is only meant for paralyzing the attackers.

2. Do I Have To Wear Something When Getting Rid Of Dirt Dobbers?

Use boots for more protection against dirt dobber. Via. Flickr.com

How to get rid dirt dobbers safely without getting a sting? Well, you can either wear protective clothing or use some repellant spray. If you will clean a couple of nesting areas only, then repellant spray may be used. On the other hand, if you will use chemicals like pesticides, it is best that you wear protective clothing which usually includes overalls, goggles, helmets, boots and gloves. This is to protect you from the chemicals being sprayed.

3.How Can I Identify Dirt Dobber From Other Insects?

A wasp and dirt dobber can sometimes be confused with each other

To correctly identify dirt dobber insects, you must know how they look like. These insects are usually thin with threadlike middle part (waist). They are usually dark-colored, but some have yellow markings on their body. Dirt dobbers are also smaller than other wasps; they are usually 1 inch in length.

Conclusion

Although dirt dobbers are not generally harmful to humans, the may still affect the appearance and health of your garden. Therefore, it is better to look for ways on how to get rid of dirt dobbers for good. After all, they don’t do anything beneficial to your plants, so there’s no reason for you to keep them. Just follow the said five tips mentioned above to have a dirt dobber-free home and garden.

Do you have a dirt dobber-infested garden? Try these tips now and see the difference. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to comment!