Red velvet ant, also commonly called cow ant, cow killer ant, or eastern velvet ant, is actually a species of parasitic wasps that belong to the family Mutillidae and is typically found in the eastern United States.

Dasymutilla occidentalis (red velvet ant, eastern velvet ant, cow ant or cow killer) [2] [3] [4] is a species of parasitoid wasp that ranges from Connecticut to Kansas in the north and Florida to Texas in the south. Adults are mostly seen in the summer months.

Red velvet ants are solitary and usually found only one at a time. To avoid these stinging ants, contact a pest management professional to safely remove any cow killer ants found in your home.

The red velvet-ant is the largest velvet-ant species, reaching about 3/4 inch in length. They are black overall with patches of dense orange-red hair on the thorax and abdomen. Males are similar but have wings and can not sting.

Velvet ants (Mutillidae) are a family of more than 7,000 species of wasps whose wingless females resemble large, hairy ants. Their common name velvet ant refers to their resemblance to an ant, and their dense pile of hair, which most often is bright scarlet or orange, but may also be black, white, silver, or gold.

See the Red Velvet Ant at the Audubon Insectarium. Learn more about their behavior, eating habits, and conservation efforts. Contact us with any questions!

Dec 6, 2022 · What Are Cow Killer Ants? Cow killer ants (Dasymutilla occidentalis), also called red velvet ants and eastern velvet ants, are a species of velvet ant. Velvet ants are wasps, but named for...

Jan 5, 2022 · Though it looks like a furry little ant, the Red Velvet Ant is actually a hairy, female wasp! Touching one is tempting fate. Males can fly, but females are wingless, and it is the female that can sting. She runs around the ground like ants do, confusing prey and predator alike.

Red velvet ants have very bright and noticeable orange-red coloration to warn predators away from trying to eat or attack them. If the aposematic coloration fails to deter the predators, female red velvet ants have a very powerful and painful sting.

Jul 14, 2021 · Keys to Nearctic Velvet Ants of the Genus Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)