Was doing a WDI inspection and noticed this red centipede inside that dirt tunnel. I thought it was wasp at first until i broke it open with a screwdriver and found this. Should the client be concerned about these? I know they don’t destroy wood but are these still reported on form
Are you licensed for WDI?
1 Like
Where was this located? Was that outside pasted on a wall?
this was a practice inspection but no
yes sir it was
You (OP) appear to be based in Florida.
It’s WDO here, not WDI, and if you’re doing WDO in Florida, you had better do some research as you need (must) have proper certification and a license, or be an employee of a CPO with the required minimum items.
WDO is operated/governed by DACS (Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services) and they can issue hefty fines for identifying WDO without proper qualifications.
3 Likes
yes i know thank you sir
It was a Mud Dauber Wasp larvae.
They only put one larvae in east nest.
Solitary, non-agressive type.
4 Likes
I don’t think so. I live in the land of mud daubers. They build little mud nests or hives on the surface of things. They do not burrow into materials and rarely damage whatever they build their hive on. I pulled a hive out of the toe of my waders last year. They lay one egg in each cell of the hive they build. Typically 3 to 8 cells per nest.
That photo looks like a beetle larvae. The OP is calling that a “dirt tunnel” but that looks more like siding. My guess is that there was water penetration into the siding that deteriorated it and created an opportunity for a destructive beetle to lay an egg and hatch a wood eating larvae.
That was the OP, not I.
It is mud daubers on the corner of a stucco w exterior wall, not siding…, . . … …
1 Like
I goofed that and will edit my comment now.
1 Like
Agreed! Live with them here in Cali, also land of the mud dauber. Key word: “Mud” Dauber
Have them here in GA and it should be noted that they don’t always build their nest externally. I have seen them plug holes and even ground openings on an exterior electrical receptor. Quick story an how they ways to nest;
Some years back I was riding my Harley and had tranny fluid leaking out of my clutch handle and getting all over it and my hand. I had no clue why this was happening so I researched the Harley forums and found someone posting with the same issue. Turned out that Harley’s have a vacuum tube on the transmission case for air intake. A Mud Dauber had nested and capped off that tube thus making the fluid back pass through the clutch cable.
Conclusion: Those son of guns can F more things up than most realize.
2 Likes
I don’t see where the OP said stucco. Mud daubers can’t burrow into stucco and don’t burrow into any siding. Heck, I could go outside right now and probably find a few nests on my composition siding. I am going with composition siding that has a faux stucco finish. I see that around here too.
Could you please share the measures and protocol you recommend?
3 Likes
