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mud dauber
noun
: any of various wasps (especially family Sphecidae) that construct mud cells in which the female places an egg with spiders or insects paralyzed by a sting to serve as food for the larva
Examples of mud dauber in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Solitary wasps, like mud daubers and cicada killers, hunt specific prey such as spiders or cicadas to store for their larvae.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 16 Aug. 2024
Paper Wasps Similar to mud daubers, paper wasps have a brownish color, although some may be found with red stripes.
—Rebecca Straus, Good Housekeeping, 28 Mar. 2023
Our tester found that the Dewalt had more than enough power to strip plant matter and stains from their concrete walk, clean the siding of their home, and remove mud dauber nests from the eaves.
—Gabriel Morgan, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Nov. 2022
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Word History
First Known Use
1856, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near mud dauber
Cite this Entry
“Mud dauber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mud%20dauber. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
mud dauber
noun
: any of various wasps that construct mud cells in which the female places an egg with paralyzed insects or spiders as food for the larva
More from Merriam-Webster on mud dauber
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mud dauber
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