Dirt Daubers

[GordonTurner]

Joe. You are truly a scientist. Good luck with the bugs.

Gordon. Gordon Turner.

[n502pd]

Thanks much! However, I am a bit bored, due to lots of rain, covig 19,now high heat and lots of winds 30--45 deg off rwy headings. By the time the winds die down and temps abate some, she calls for dinner, and so far, maybe to my cagrin, I havnt missed any of those calls!!! At some time, I hope , I can get aft cg test done, spin recoveries done, more hard surface practice, before I can go on cross country for fuel burn tests. then, on into phase 2!!! Keep the greasy side down!!

[509sx]

For a couple of years we have built nesting boxes for mason bees, aka mud daubers. They like their holes 5/16" in diameter, and up to 6" deep. They pack in food and eggs for the next generation to emerge in the late spring. There may be other buggies that do similar things though. I worry most about the Pitot tube.
Art
Sonex 509 taildragger
2700 cc Corvair

[n502pd]

Thanks for the specs, Art! I may yet get some3thing to attrat them away from the little holes around the counterweights for the ailerons. do you feel color of the tubes means anything??

[509sx]

Don't think so, as long as it's dark inside. We made "apartments" for them by boring holes in wood blocks, hoping they'd stick around and help pollinate our apple trees. Turns out they seem more interested in mating during their brief tenure in maturity, and we observed lots of other buggies doing the pollination gig, so we gave up on them. I would be wary of inviting them close to your airplane, though. I'd put the nests far away, so they don't try to plug any exterior holes that might exist on your bird.
Art
Southern WA
Corvex/Sonvair 2700cc TD

[509sx]

By-the-way, your mud dauber nest looks like it's wired to explode on your command once populated, via that wire from your computer. Do I have this right?
Art

[peter anson]

For a couple of years we have built nesting boxes for mason bees, aka mud daubers. They like their holes 5/16" in diameter, and up to 6" deep. They pack in food and eggs for the next generation to emerge in the late spring. There may be other buggies that do similar things though. I worry most about the Pitot tube.
Art
Sonex 509 taildragger
2700 cc Corvair

Our Australian mud wasps support the metric system so insist on 8mm holes up to 150mm deep.

Peter

[GraemeSmith]

I thought the Oz wasps burned up if they tried to fly anywhere else in the world. Like the Mars Climate Orbiter........

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-climate-orbiter/

[n502pd]

Ha! Oh boy, thanks for the insight, guys! Yes, daubers are single minded. I have to report that I got not a single one to try my hotel nests. the wood blocks and the soda straws had no effect on their behavior. so much for my little experiment, other than I did learn mother nature has its...her... own agenda! BUT, not all was lost! I did find one little guy inside my wing tip one day, and could not get him out with compressed air. so short of actually opening up the wingtip, I sprayed ASF 50 anti corosion spray into the tip, liberaly, and watched it drip out. nothinbg hurt I thought, and no bug since then. I did the other tip, tail end entrances too. So maybe sprayng any entrance holes, into the interior, may well discourage the mudbugs from bothering me! I think I am done with my etomology experiments! Happy Hollidays to all, considering current affairs in DC!

[n502pd]

By-the-way, your mud dauber nest looks like it's wired to explode on your command once populated, via that wire from your computer. Do I have this right?
Art

Nope! no such thing, but not a truely bad idea! the wires were there for hanging on the hinges of the aieleron at the outside ends. Just good old bailing wire, not safty wire!!