KEEPING MUD DAUBERS AND OTHER CRITTERS OUT OF EQUIPMENT FITTINGS

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grande69

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Messages
24
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5
Location
East Texas
My kettles are equipped with 1/2" camlock fittings. I have moved to East Texas where we have Mud Daubers. These bugs build mud tube nests everywhere, as well as fill up any hollow space with rock solid mud.

I need to keep them out of the fittings on my home brew equipment. Does anyone know of an end cap that would work well for this purpose? I've looked around online and found caps with a 15/16 ID. The fittings OD measures 15/16, and I am not sure if these caps would fit snug enough to not fall off when the kettles are in storage.



If anyone knows of something that works well, I'd appreciate it.

Cheers!
Tony
 
My kettles are equipped with 1/2" camlock fittings. I have moved to East Texas where we have Mud Daubers. These bugs build mud tube nests everywhere, as well as fill up any hollow space with rock solid mud.

I need to keep them out of the fittings on my home brew equipment. Does anyone know of an end cap that would work well for this purpose? I've looked around online and found caps with a 15/16 ID. The fittings OD measures 15/16, and I am not sure if these caps would fit snug enough to not fall off when the kettles are in storage.



If anyone knows of something that works well, I'd appreciate it.

Cheers!
Tony
Thanks for the post! I had forgotten to keep these on my 'long-term shopping list':
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/camdc.htm
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/camdp.htm
What I currently use are cheap basket coffee-filters wrapped and rubber-banded or tin-tied over the ends to keep bugs out and allow evaporation of any dampness, but I've been meaning to get the proper caps for ages.
Hope this helps.
:mug:
 
Thanks for the post! I had forgotten to keep these on my 'long-term shopping list':
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/camdc.htm
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/camdp.htm
What I currently use are cheap basket coffee-filters wrapped and rubber-banded or tin-tied over the ends to keep bugs out and allow evaporation of any dampness, but I've been meaning to get the proper caps for ages.
Hope this helps.
:mug:

I had thought of these, but for the price I was hoping to go with the vinyl caps.
 
I'm sure I've seen plastic caps for them on the brewharware site but I can't find them right now... maybe send Bobby_M a pm?
EDIT: For now; while not aesthetically pleasing, this is an effective bug-barrier that still allows remaining moisture to evaporate:
IMG_1705.jpg
 
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I had to look these guys up, not being from Texas, and those wasps don't look fun at all.

1000006786.jpg


That is some serious home building right there. I would just get ear wigs from time to time in my sight glass fittings but all they do is squat, not grand building projects!
 
I had to look these guys up, not being from Texas, and those wasps don't look fun at all.

View attachment 866131

That is some serious home building right there. I would just get ear wigs from time to time in my sight glass fittings but all they do is squat, not grand building projects!
Funny thing is the daubers look as menacing as the real deal red with purple winged monsters, but have never bothered me - sting wise. Each year I end up cleaning out about 20 lbs of mud clods, from tool boxes to buildings, and anything not taped shut!!! They even clog up 100 receptacles and the key slots on the riding mowers and tractors!
 
Funny thing is the daubers look as menacing as the real deal red with purple winged monsters, but have never bothered me - sting wise. Each year I end up cleaning out about 20 lbs of mud clods, from tool boxes to buildings, and anything not taped shut!!! They even clog up 100 receptacles and the key slots on the riding mowers and tractors!
I've never got a wasp sting either. Usually they just make nests in the ground in whatever they can find, most recently in a railroad tie in the neighbor's yard. They do ruin picnics though as they swarm any meat and carry off what they can hold. Truly annoying creatures.
 
My kettles are equipped with 1/2" camlock fittings. I have moved to East Texas where we have Mud Daubers. These bugs build mud tube nests everywhere, as well as fill up any hollow space with rock solid mud.

I need to keep them out of the fittings on my home brew equipment. Does anyone know of an end cap that would work well for this purpose? I've looked around online and found caps with a 15/16 ID. The fittings OD measures 15/16, and I am not sure if these caps would fit snug enough to not fall off when the kettles are in storage.



If anyone knows of something that works well, I'd appreciate it.

Cheers!
Tony
https://www.brewhardware.com/produc...6gmjdZXj83BarUjili8jfsChtssOx4yoXiVgaKeqAk3Qz

1736169186038.png
 
I have the dirt daubers, (our local name for them) here too. I have not had too much trouble with them so far, but I have a solution that might work for you. I found that those little, nylon, drawstring bags that they pass out at weddings filled with birdseed to toss at the happy couple’s exit make a great deterrent for fruit flies attracted to the bubbler on a carboy of fermenting wine. I simply place the bag right over the bubbler and tighten the drawstring!
You could do the same on your fittings. They are available on eBay if you search for “small drawstring bags”

IMG_9826.jpeg
 
I had to look these guys up, not being from Texas, and those wasps don't look fun at all.

View attachment 866131

That is some serious home building right there. I would just get ear wigs from time to time in my sight glass fittings but all they do is squat, not grand building projects!
Fun fact - they usually pack those tubes full of paralyzed spiders for the larvae to feast on.
 
Fun fact - they usually pack those tubes full of paralyzed spiders for the larvae to feast on.
Exactly! I don’t begrudge their presence too much; we have plenty of spiders around here too, and they are welcome to them. I will say that they will sometimes give me a spook when I happen to look up and see a flying spider coming my way! It only takes a moment to realize that it is just being transported by the dirt dauber wasp.

I have an extension ladder hanging on the wall of my carport. They love putting their tubes inside the hollow aluminum steps of my ladder. When several get to going at the same time, it sounds like a bunch of elves running miniature chainsaws out there! 🤣
 
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