the mud dauber is one of the most common solitary wasps. the difference between normal wasps and mud daubers can be seen easily because of its long petiole. the female gathers together mud and puts it in her mouth to use when building her paper nest for her young. she uses her ovipositor to sting and paralyze tiny insects, spiders, caterpillars, and other creatures, which are stuffed into the mud nest. after each cell in the nest is filled and almost overflowing with spiders and insects, the mud dauber lays an egg in each cell, closes the openings, and leaves. then, when the eggs finally hatch, the larvae, have a perfectly nice feast upon which they will dine until they become adults.