August is usually when I see velvet ants. This year I saw my first one on July 17. I’ve seen them most days since then, usually in the grass. They are beautiful velvety orange-red and black wingless female wasps.
Their common name is “cow killer”, because the sting is said to be so painful it could kill a cow. Somewhat exaggerated but nonetheless extremely painful. The sting is perhaps the most painful of any North American insect.
Velvet ants are not aggressive and will only sting in defense. One of our dogs was stung once and she favored her paw for several days. Males are a brighter red, have wings and do not sting. Velvet ants are found throughout North America.
Unlike true ants, velvet ants are solitary and do not have an organized social structure. The female wasp lays her eggs in the burrows of ground-nesting bees or other wasps. After the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the host’s young.
Female wasps can be seen scurrying erratically over the ground searching for prey nests in which to lay their eggs. Similarly, males will fly just above the ground looking for females. The adults feed on nectar.
Take care,
David
