Velvet ant

Mutillidae
Dasymutilla spp.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Pompiloidea
Family: Mutillidae
Latreille, 1802
Subfamilies

Mutillinae
Myrmillinae
Pseudophotopsidinae
Rhopalomutillinae
Sphaeropthalminae
Ticoplinae

Mating pair

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. Their bright colors serve as aposematic signals. They are known for their extremely painful stings, (the sting of the species Dasymutilla klugii rated a 3 on the Schmidt pain index and lasts up to 30 minutes[1]), and has resulted in the common name "cow killer" or "cow ant" being applied to the species Dasymutilla occidentalis.[2] However, mutillids are not aggressive and sting only in defense. In addition, the actual toxicity of their venom is much lower than that of honey bees or harvester ants.[3] Unlike true ants, they are solitary, and lack complex social systems.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference prev1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Red velvet ant; cow killer". Arthropod Museum. University of Arkansas: Division of Agriculture. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference prev2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference j5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).