Mud Wasps in my cameras

[IReallyLikePizza2]

Alright, how the heck do I get rid of these guys? Noticed a bunch of these things flying around my camera, opened it and BAM








I removed it all and swapped the camera, but now they are back at it again

 

[Teken]

Is the gap between the housing and the dome that big?!? I would be more concerned about them getting into the home after seeing that.

I’d seal up that hole where the Ethernet cable exits from.

 

[biggen]

Yeah where are the entering from? The space above the camera?

I get them in my attic occasionally. Plenty of holes around my vinyl soffits they can enter from.

 

[mat200]

Just knock the mud nest down .. normally I just use a spray nozzle on my hose .. and then reassemble the camera and seal with silicone caulk or the like the gaps

 

[Teken]

I had to look up what a mud wasp was as we don’t have these types of bugs in the deep north. So these guys somehow get inside that little cavity how do they get out later when they are much bigger?!?

 

[Billyjack5]

Those things have taken down airplanes: Invasive Wasps Are Posing a 'Serious Threat' to Passenger Planes, Study Says

 

[sebastiantombs]

You get rid of them very carefully!

Seriously, if you have live ones give them a spray of "knock down" wasp spray, best done before sunrise or just after sunset. Clear out the nest they made. Seal the camera up and use Duct Seal, not silicon caulk, if you want to be able to take it apart easily again. I have a 5231T-ZE that got targeted by them. Sprayed, removed the nest and sealed it up with duct seal, including the little notch on the base used for wire access. In fact I always seal that little notch for wire access since any small, or determined, bug can get in there.

 

[TonyR]

For the record, the mud daubers / dirt daubers I've grown up with for 70+ years in GA and AL just make a mess but are not dangerous. They're very docile, not aggressive. Literally dozens of times I've been in their flight path back to where they're building, trying their best to maintain altitude with a big ball of mud in the grasp and they've run into me, landing on my arm, my face, my neck....never once stung. They have mild venom they use to paralyze and preserve insects they put into their nest for their hatching larvae but again, they'd just as soon leave you alone. Sure, if you grab one and squeeze it, it'll sting your dumb ass.

You might consider also stuffing some Duct Seal around the outside rim of the eyeball where it meets and rides on the socket; it might prevent entry, can't say for sure, as it stays soft enough for humans to dig out if necessary. Take a plug, roll it between your 2 flat hands to make a l-o-o-ong cigar-shaped roll about 1/2" in diameter then pack that around the outside of the cam where it sits in the housing. Let us know if that works!

 

[TonyR]

You get rid of them very carefully!

Seriously, if you have live ones give them a spray of "knock down" wasp spray, best done before sunrise or just after sunset. Clear out the nest they made. Seal the camera up and use Duct Seal, not silicon caulk, if you want to be able to take it apart easily again.

Hah! Beat me by a minute.....my boogered up mouse slows me down. Great minds think alike, I guess.

 

[Teken]

You get rid of them very carefully!

Seriously, if you have live ones give them a spray of "knock down" wasp spray, best done before sunrise or just after sunset. Clear out the nest they made. Seal the camera up and use Duct Seal, not silicon caulk, if you want to be able to take it apart easily again. I have a 5231T-ZE that got targeted by them. Sprayed, removed the nest and sealed it up with duct seal, including the little notch on the base used for wire access. In fact I always seal that little notch for wire access since any small, or determined, bug can get in there.

What are we taking about in terms of size here?!? I could understand if it was a little baby wasp but how does that adult wasp get into the housing?!?

Is the gap that big - obviously it is because the OP shows it’s there!

 

[sebastiantombs]

Yeah, a wasp or bee for that matter can fold their wings and bend their legs so they are almost flat other than the bulges of the body. Their bodies aren't all that big and they can crawl right on in and make themselves at home. Duct seal in the gap around the ball, between it and the dome, plus that wire notch makes sure it's bullet proof.

When I was a kid, my grandparents had a chicken farm. We were playing on the roof of the coop and I got stung behind the ear by a mud wasp. I literally ran off the roof and hit the ground still in a dead run. Maybe TonyR doesn't think they hurt, but they hurt like heck to a 10 year old.

 

[Teken]

Those things have taken down airplanes: Invasive Wasps Are Posing a 'Serious Threat' to Passenger Planes, Study Says

That was a great read thanks for sharing. I didn’t know that was a thing vs birds which we all know are a huge problem for aviation.

 

[Teken]

Yeah, a wasp or bee for that matter can fold their wings and bend their legs so they are almost flat other than the bulges of the body. Their bodies aren't all that big and they can crawl right on in and make themselves at home. Duct seal in the gap around the ball, between it and the dome, plus that wire notch makes sure it's bullet proof.

When I was a kid, my grandparents had a chicken farm. We were playing on the roof of the coop and I got stung behind the ear by a mud wasp. I literally ran off the roof and hit the ground still in a dead run. Maybe TonyR doesn't think they hurt, but they hurt like heck to a 10 year old.

I didn’t know that - thanks! I guess we are lucky up North as all we have are those really phat fuckers (normal wasp / hornets).

 

[garycrist]

Those guys are eating your spiders! Leave 'em alone for my bullet cams.. hahaha

 

[TonyR]

Maybe TonyR doesn't think they hurt, but they hurt like heck to a 10 year old.

These daubers down here in the south don't sting natives, only Yankees!

Seriously, though....there's so many varieties I'm sure there are some daubers here and there that are as ornery as red wasps, yellow jackets and hornets...it just that the ones I've run across, even the larger ones with black & yellow legs, are just doing their thing and are pretty mellow...if you don't squeeze 'em!

I must admit though...me and bees get along fairly well. Here's me petting a bumblebee on a Petunia July 2020:

View attachment TR-petting-bumblebee.MOV

 

[handinpalm]

I had the same problem with the mud dobbers making a nest in the turret camera. I had some of that foam insulation tape that you use for doors and windows. Just place some foam tape in the gap between the cam and fixed mount. It is amazing they can fit through such a narrow slit.

 

[VorlonFrog]

You can also stuff cotton balls or polyester batting behind the camera, and saturate it every 90 days with a bifenthrin spray (TalStar from Amazon). That will strongly discourage new nests, as well. It really depends on how persistent are the little buggers.

 

[Broachoski]

I have lots of quick connect air tools and have to keep them in a tight cabinet or plug the end as soon as I disconnect one as within a few hours they crawl in the 1/4 inch holes and start building a nest. The are a nuisance but sure kill a lots of spiders.

 

[Parley]

Maybe a bullet style camera would work better in that location because of the wasps.

 

[TonyR]

I have lots of quick connect air tools and have to keep them in a tight cabinet or plug the end as soon as I disconnect one as within a few hours they crawl in the 1/4 inch holes and start building a nest. The are a nuisance but sure kill a lots of spiders.

I have a couple of outlet strips at opposite ends of the covered front porch for holiday lighting and one wireless cam looking at packages. When not being used to plug in holiday lighting I have to keep the unused sockets plugged with those child-proof outlet covers. If I don't those daubers will fill up just the hole for the round ground pin and it's almost like cement!

You get 30 for under $4!