Dirt Dauber
In Southern and Appalachian speech, a "dirt dauber" (often spelled dirt dobber) is a mud dauber wasp that builds tube-like nests from mud. They’re common around barns, sheds, and porches across the region.
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synonyms: mud dauber, mud wasp
Hillbilly Dude Says...
We've always called 'em 'dirt daubers' around here. It's a common one down here. Pronunciation
[DURT DAW-ber] /ˈdɝːt ˌdɔː.bɚ/
Meaning & Usage
- Mud dauber wasp (noun, dialect)
Clara:
What’s that nest stuck to the side of the barn?
What’s that nest stuck to the side of the barn?
Elmer:
That’s a dirt dauber nest. Harmless little things.
That’s a dirt dauber nest. Harmless little things.variations: dirt dobber, mud dauber
Origin
From the verb daub, meaning "to smear" or "plaster." In rural Southern and Appalachian dialects, mud-daubing wasps became known as dirt daubers (or dirt dobbers), reflecting their habit of smearing mud to build nests.
Notes
- Dirt dauber is the more formal spelling, but dirt dobber is equally authentic in Southern/Appalachian pronunciation and writing.
- Considered harmless - many folks say dirt daubers don’t sting and even help keep away "bad waspers."
- Nests are long, narrow mud tubes attached to rafters, beams, and corners of barns or porches.