Common Blue Mud-dauber Wasp

Also known as Nearctic Blue Mud-Dauber Wasp, Blue Mud Wasp

Common blue mud-dauber wasps shine with a brilliant metallic navy sheen as they search out sheltered eaves, barns, and porches. Unlike typical mud daubers that build nests directly from wet soil, females usually usurp or refurbish existing mud nests, filling each cell with paralyzed spiders to feed their developing larvae. Adults feed harmlessly on flower nectar and honeydew, acting as beneficial garden neighbors that naturally control black widow populations.