Red velvet ant facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red velvet ant
Female
Male
Scientific classification

Dasymutilla occidentalis (red velvet ant, eastern velvet ant, cow ant or cow killer), is a species of parasitoid wasp native to the eastern United States. It is commonly mistaken for a member of the true ant family, as the female is wingless. The species ranges from Connecticut to Missouri in the north and Florida to Texas in the south.

The eastern velvet ant is the largest of the velvet ant species in the eastern United States, attaining an approximate length of 0.75 in (1.9 cm). Adults display aposematic coloration, consisting of black overall coloring with an orange-red pattern on the dorsal surface of the thorax and abdomen. They are covered in dense, velvet-like hair.

Description and biology

Commonly mistaken for an ant, because of its appearance and its common name, it is a parasitoid wasp species in which the females are wingless. It can be recognized by its black and orange-red striped coloring. Females are capable of an extremely painful sting, hence the name "cow killer". They are quick-moving and often take a defensive posture when threatened. Unlike the females, males have dark, translucent wings and do not possess a stinger.

Both sexes make a squeaking noise (stridulation) to warn potential predators.

Habitat

Red velvet ants are found in dry, sandy areas, such as fields, forests, and grasslands, primarily in the southeastern United States.

Diet

The adult female red velvet ants feed on the sweet nectar of flowers. This helps them obtain the energy they need to survive and reproduce. However, the larvae (baby red velvet ants) have a different diet. They are parasitic, meaning they rely on other insects for survival. Female red velvet ants will lay their eggs near or inside the nests of other insects, such as bees or other wasps. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae will feed on the host insect's larvae or pupae (the stage before becoming an adult). This is a fascinating example of how different life stages of an insect can have very different lifestyles and diets.

Defense

The velvet ant has multiple defensive strategies, but is best known for its extremely painful sting, earning it the nickname of "cow killer". Its defenses include a thickened exoskeleton, the ability to run fast and evasively, warning coloration, stridulatory warning sounds, a chemical secretion, and venom.

Reproduction and life cycle

Like most wasp species, velvet ants live solitary lives. Males take to the air to detect pheromones released by females. Males will fly towards female stridulation sounds as well. Once a receptive female is located, the male will carry the female in his mandibles and move her to a place he deems "safe" to mate. These mating spaces are often shaded and away from potential mating competitors. Both males and females stridulate during the mating process. Once the mating process is finished, the female begins looking for eggs and larvae of host species. Females are believed to mate only once in their lifetime.

After mating, females seek out the brood cells of Eastern cicada killers and horse guard wasps as well as other large ground-nesting members of Crabronidae, where they sneak into the nest and deposit an egg onto a host larva. The egg quickly hatches into a white, legless grub, which consumes the host larva and goes through several larval stages prior to pupation. Pupation typically takes 23 days.

Interesting facts about the red velvet ant

• They are called "cow killers" due to the intense pain of their sting (though they are not actually capable of killing cows).
• Only female red velvet ants can sting, as males lack stingers.
• Their sting is considered one of the most painful among insects, earning a high rating on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index.
• Despite their painful sting, they are not aggressive and will only sting if handled or stepped on.

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Hymenoptera
• Family: Mutillidae