Let's play name the critter...

8gv · 06-20-2012, 11:34 PM

So I got to visit my house today after about three weeks away and found this on my shutters:

I found a smaller quantity of the dry, dirt substance last month. When I scraped it off there were insect larvae in it. I suspect this is more of the same. The question is what kind of insect?

I also have a new summer boarder who I hope does not have a white stripe.

Any ideas?

surfnsnow · 06-21-2012, 05:22 AM

looks like the work of carpenter ants

RLW · 06-21-2012, 08:32 AM

It defiantly looks like a termite tunnel to me...... The only thing that has me wondering is that it appears to be on PVC or composite material of some sort and they do not touch those materials.

Jonas Pilot · 06-21-2012, 08:57 AM

... feels like sand to the touch then I would guess some kind of sand dauber wasp.

8gv · 06-21-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonas Pilot

... feels like sand to the touch then I would guess some kind of sand dauber wasp.

It feels like hardened, crispy, regurgitated sand.

Lakesrider · 06-21-2012, 02:20 PM

Jonas is correct. It is a mud dauber nest on the shutters.

The hole could be a skunk or ground hog. They share burrows.

Formula · 06-21-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakesrider

Jonas is correct. It is a mud dauber nest on the shutters.

The hole could be a skunk or ground hog. They share burrows.

"I want you to go out there and kill all of the golfers"
"I can't do that, if i kill all of the golfers then noone will be golfing"

8gv · 06-21-2012, 06:30 PM

I expect my Cairn Terrier to dive into the hole in search of the critter. A skunk encounter would be a significantly different experience than that of a ground hog.

Any ideas on deterring the mud daubers?

secondcurve · 06-22-2012, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RLW

It defiantly looks like a termite tunnel to me...... The only thing that has me wondering is that it appears to be on PVC or composite material of some sort and they do not touch those materials.

There are no termites in the lakes region of NH but there are plenty of carpenter ants which are a greater threat to property.

8gv · 06-22-2012, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by secondcurve

There are no termites in the lakes region of NH but there are plenty of carpenter ants which are a greater threat to property.

Would carpenter ants do this to my plastic shutters? I'm hoping for mud daubers.

Argie's Wife · 07-01-2012, 10:31 PM

I can almost guarantee it's mud daubers doing that to your shutters. They're also called dirt daubers and they build anywhere they can get two things: water and dirt. They're prolific in the South and would raise havoc on a home (and were hell on construction sites - they'd get ahold of the mud (mortar) and those nests were impossible to clean off!)

It appears they had plans for your home. We have the type that build nests that look like pipe organs up here.

The other is a groundhog hole. We had a family of them at our house when we moved in - I'd named him Portnoy from Bloom County.

Hubby read that they don't like cat poo, so he cleaned the litter boxes and shoveled the litter into Portnoy's home - and Portnoy promptly moved out; never been back. (I think he became a speed bump.)

8gv · 07-10-2012, 12:12 AM

I filled the gopher hole with rocks, dirt and mulch. There has been no attempt to re-excavate.

I blasted the dirt deposits and the back of the shutters with wasp spray. So far they havent returned.

But...
My lawn looks like a sieve, as in well perforated. Let's hope the Grub-X works!

06-20-2012, 11:34 PM	#1
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,069 Thanks: 63 Thanked 721 Times in 470 Posts	Let's play name the critter... So I got to visit my house today after about three weeks away and found this on my shutters: I found a smaller quantity of the dry, dirt substance last month. When I scraped it off there were insect larvae in it. I suspect this is more of the same. The question is what kind of insect? I also have a new summer boarder who I hope does not have a white stripe. Any ideas?

06-21-2012, 08:32 AM	#3
RLW Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alton Bay on the mountain by a lake Posts: 2,023 Thanks: 563 Thanked 444 Times in 311 Posts	It defiantly looks like a termite tunnel to me...... The only thing that has me wondering is that it appears to be on PVC or composite material of some sort and they do not touch those materials. __________________ There is nothing better than living on Alton Mountain & our grand kids visits.

06-21-2012, 08:57 AM	#4
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	If the residue ... ... feels like sand to the touch then I would guess some kind of sand dauber wasp.

07-10-2012, 12:12 AM	#12
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,069 Thanks: 63 Thanked 721 Times in 470 Posts	Critter update... I filled the gopher hole with rocks, dirt and mulch. There has been no attempt to re-excavate. I blasted the dirt deposits and the back of the shutters with wasp spray. So far they havent returned. But... My lawn looks like a sieve, as in well perforated. Let's hope the Grub-X works!

06-21-2012, 05:22 AM	#2
surfnsnow Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 173 Thanks: 133 Thanked 52 Times in 29 Posts	looks like the work of carpenter ants

06-21-2012, 02:20 PM	#6
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Jonas is correct. It is a mud dauber nest on the shutters. The hole could be a skunk or ground hog. They share burrows.

06-21-2012, 06:30 PM	#8
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,069 Thanks: 63 Thanked 721 Times in 470 Posts	I expect my Cairn Terrier to dive into the hole in search of the critter. A skunk encounter would be a significantly different experience than that of a ground hog. Any ideas on deterring the mud daubers?

07-01-2012, 10:31 PM	#11
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	I can almost guarantee it's mud daubers doing that to your shutters. They're also called dirt daubers and they build anywhere they can get two things: water and dirt. They're prolific in the South and would raise havoc on a home (and were hell on construction sites - they'd get ahold of the mud (mortar) and those nests were impossible to clean off!) It appears they had plans for your home. We have the type that build nests that look like pipe organs up here. The other is a groundhog hole. We had a family of them at our house when we moved in - I'd named him Portnoy from Bloom County. Hubby read that they don't like cat poo, so he cleaned the litter boxes and shoveled the litter into Portnoy's home - and Portnoy promptly moved out; never been back. (I think he became a speed bump.)