Handbook of Nature-Study · Lesson XCVIII · Topic 16: Wasps and bees
98. The mud-dauber
Goal: Your child can describe the mud-dauber's nest of mud tubes, tell what the mother puts inside, and describe the slim-waisted wasp.
You'll need
- An old, empty mud-dauber nest (look under eaves, porch ceilings, in barns and sheds)
- A puddle edge on a summer day for watching
- Binoculars (optional)
- A hand lens (magnifying glass)
- A nature notebook and a pencil (colored pencils if you have them)
What's in the book
Comstock's story of the black mud-dauber, a nervous little cement worker with a thread-like waist, which builds tubes of mud, stocks each with spiders and lays an egg. Then Lesson XCVIII's leading thought, method and nine questions.
The lesson, step by step
When and where
Nests can be found all year under eaves, porch roofs, bridges and in barns. The wasps are busy in summer: Comstock says they are "very common in June and also in September," gathering mud at the edges of puddles.
A change from the book
Comstock says these wasps "do not sting severely when handled." We never handle wasps: any wasp can sting, and some people are badly allergic. Watch them from a few steps away. Collect only an old nest in late fall or winter, with an adult, after checking that each tube has a round exit hole (the wasps have left). Sting safety: watch bees and wasps from a few steps away, move slowly, and never swat at them. If anyone in the family is allergic to stings, keep well back and have their medicine with you.
Keep the big idea in mind
Comstock's "leading thought" is the one idea the lesson is meant to lead to. Read it to yourself now, and save it to share at the end, after your child has looked and answered:
There are certain wasps which gather mud and mix it into mortar with which to build nests for their young. Within these nests, the mother wasp places spiders or insects which are disabled by her sting, for the food of the young wasps.
The nest
Where did you find the mud-dauber's nest? How was it protected from the rain? Was it easily removed?
What is the shape of the nest? How does it look inside? Of how many tubes does it consist? How long is each tube?
Have an adult break one tube open outdoors. You may find a papery cocoon, or bits of old spiders.
The builder
Of what material was the nest made? Is it not much harder than mud? How did the wasp change the mud to cement? Where did she get the mud? How did she carry it? With what tools did she plaster it?
In summer, sit near a muddy puddle and watch for wasps rolling little balls of mud and flying off with them.
The wasp
From a safe distance, or with binoculars:
Describe the mud-dauber wasp. How large is she? What is the color of her body? Of her wings?
Where did you find the wasp? How did she act?
Nature notebook
Comstock's question 5 is the notebook task:
Write a little story about all that happens in one of these tubes, including the following points: What did the mother wasp place in the tube? How and why did she close it? What hatched from the egg she placed within it?
Draw a tube cut open beside the story. Read the leading thought aloud.