Do Dirt Dobbers Sting Humans?

While dirt dobbers, also known as dirt daubers or mud daubers, do possess a venomous sting, they rarely use their sting defensively and are considered non-aggressive towards humans. The dirt dauber’s sting is meant for paralyzing prey, not defending its nest or attacking intruders.

The dirt dauber stings spiders to paralyze them so they can be carried back to the nest. These wasps are solitary and construct nests only to contain their young and the paralyzed prey they have provided for them. Unlike a bee hive, the dirt dauber’s nest can be safely observed and even opened up or destroyed without risking attack from a stinging swarm. Individual dauber wasps have little interest in attacking humans with their stings.