Red Velvet Ant is called Cow Killer!
Dasymutilla occidentalis is the Red Velvet Ant, also called Cow Killer and guess what, they are actually wasps and the female cannot fly. The females have no wings, are covered with that fuzzy hair and are shaped like ants. In our yard they look about an inch long - the largest of the red ants. The females are loners and they wander around our yard in the hot, dry months. They prefer to be left alone and will not sting unless they are threatened. They also squeak when threatened. The males have wings and cannot sting. To lay eggs, the females dig into the nests of ground bees, eat a hole in their cocoon, and then lays eggs on the bee larva. Immature velvet ants eat the bee larva and then form a pupa. Velvet Ant lifecycle Some summers they are everywhere but this year has been so much cooler that there are fewer than usual. Gardeners do not have to try to control them since they are not a problem to plants but children can be attracted to thei...
