Velvet ant

Family of wasps

Velvet ants are a group of wasps in the family Mutillidae, known for their dense, velvety hair and painful sting. Despite their common name, they are not true ants. The family includes over 3,000 species worldwide.

Description

Velvet ants are characterized by their bright colors and dense hair, which can be red, orange, yellow, or white. The females are wingless and resemble large, hairy ants, while the males are winged and more wasp-like in appearance. The sexual dimorphism in this family is quite pronounced.

Behavior

Velvet ants are solitary insects. The females are known for their powerful sting, which has earned them the nickname "cow killers" in some regions. They are parasitoids, laying their eggs in the nests of other insects, particularly ground-nesting bees and wasps. The larvae then consume the host larvae.

Distribution

Velvet ants are found in various habitats, including deserts, forests, and grasslands. They are most diverse in arid and semi-arid regions.

Gallery

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  A velvet ant in its natural habitat

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  Dasymutilla occidentalis, commonly known as the "cow killer"

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  Nemka viduata viduata in motion

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  Proposed higher classification of Mutillidae

Related pages

• Wasp
• Ant
• Parasitoid

References

• Brothers, D. J. (2017). "Proposed higher classification of Mutillidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea)". Journal of Hymenoptera Research.
• Schmidt, J. O. (1986). "Chemistry, pharmacology, and chemical ecology of ant venoms". In: Piek, T. (ed.) Venoms of the Hymenoptera. Academic Press.