The velvet ant, aka cow killer, is not actually an ant at all, but rather a wasp. The females are wingless and carry with them a powerful sting! While there are no listed threats to these wasps, they do face habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments. None of the more than 7,000 species of velvet ants are listed with the IUCN, as they are all abundant and widespread. They can be found throughout the world, sans in Antarctica.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Mutillidae
Weight: Up to 0.001 ounce
Length: Up to 1.18 inches
Lifespan: Up to 2 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) They get their common name from their resemblance to an ant, and their thick pile of hair, which often times is bright scarlet or orange, however can also be black, white, silver, or even gold.
2.) Their colors serve as an aposematic warning to others that they can pack a punch.
3.) Though some species are strictly nocturnal (active at night), some females are often active during the day (diurnal).
4.) These wasps avoid predation by utilizing the following defense mechanisms: a venomous sting (in the case of a female), aposematic coloration, a stridulatory organ in their abdomen, an alarm secretion from their mandibular gland, and a hearty exoskeleton. All earning them the title “the indestructible insect.”
5.) The stridulatory organ that these ants possess creates an audible squeaking when their abdomen is contracted. This serves as a warning to predators.
But wait, there’s more on the velvet ant!
6.) The exoskeleton of the velvet ant is incredibly strong. It required 11x more force to crush than that of the honey bee. That’s right, someone actually crushed to death a velvet and and a honey bee to compare the crush factor.
7.) Females lay a single egg in a wasp or other insect burrow, next to the larvae. When the egg hatches, the larvae will feed on the host larvae till it pupates into an adult. Up to 1,000 eggs can be laid in a female’s lifetime.
Did you know…?
The sting is rated as a 3 on the Schmidt pain index and the effects can last up to 30 minutes. The description of their sting is often said to be fiery, sharp, and not unlike that of a hot oil burn.
8.) The only 2 insects rated with a more painful sting were the bullet ant and tarantula hawk. The dementor wasp is also said to have an excruciating sting as well.
9.) Males can fly, but females cannot.
10.) Unlike many other wasp species, these critters are solitary.
Now a Short Velvet Ant Video!
Here is a video that shows what it’s like to be stung by a velvet ant.
Be sure to share & comment below! Also, check out the Critter Science YouTube channel. Videos added regularly!
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
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