Color: Black, with areas of very bright red, orange, yellow or white
Legs: 6
Shape: Females – wingless, ant-like; Males – winged, wasp-like
Size: 1/8 – 7/8” (3-23 mm)
Antennae: Yes
Region: Found throughout the U.S.
The common name of “velvet ant” is misleading because velvet ants are actually wasps. They get the “velvet” part of their name from the very fuzzy females, which are wingless and often brightly colored.
Female velvet ants dig into the nesting chambers of ground-nesting bees and wasps and lay their eggs on the larvae inside. When the immature velvet ant is born, it eats its host and then spins its cocoon within the pupal case of its host.
Female velvet ants have a very potent sting that has earned them the nickname “cow-killer.” Male velvet ants lack a stinger but have wings.
Female velvet ants are typically seen running somewhat erratically on the ground, especially on bare or sandy areas in the warm summer months. They occasionally enter structures for insect prey. Males are often found on flowers, although some species are nocturnal.
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.
They have several impressive defenses, including a tough exoskeleton that is much harder to crush than a honey bee’s, a rounded body that helps them avoid attacks, bright warning colors, and a sting that is among the most painful of any insect.
Adult velvet ants mostly eat nectar and water from flowers, but they can also eat larvae and adult insects like flies and beetles. Their larvae are parasitic and feed on the pupae or larvae of ground-nesting bees and wasps. This is why velvet ants are often found near bee and wasp nests.
Male velvet ants fly close to the ground to find females by following their scent, and after mating, the female locates an underground nest of a ground-nesting bee or wasp and lays one or two eggs inside the host's cocoon.