Velvet ants are showing up
In the heat of the summer, when you are outside, you typically don’t expect to see a bright red hairy insect cross your path, but that is exactly when we see velvet ants. When I say they cross your path, they do it quickly, so they just look like a red streak running by. I took a picture of one recently and had to chase it to get a decent one.
Velvet ants are really interesting insects. One strange fact is that they are not ants; they are actually wasps. The ones I have seen are shades of black and red, with dense hair that gives them a velvety appearance, but they can also be orange or brown. The males do not sting, have wings, and more closely resemble a wasp. They tend to spend time on flowers where they feed. The female can sting, so it’s advisable not to touch them, as they can cause major pain. The female does not have wings, so they are the ones we see zipping across the ground and look more ant-like. They are typically bashful and, if they sense your presence, will run away. Another interesting fact is that the female will invade ground-nesting wasps’ or bees’ nests and lay her eggs there. The velvet ant larvae will parasitize and eat the host larvae. Adult velvet ants live a solitary life and do not form hives or live in groups; they are visible during the warmer months of the year. They typically prefer sandy soil in fields or pastures where their host nests.
Velvet ants are not pests and will not harm humans unless you handle them. Another fun fact is that they are often called “cow killers” due to their extremely painful sting.
So, if you see one, enjoy its pretty colors as it runs by, but avoid touching them.
For additional information visit https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/ENTO/ENTO-22/ENTO-22.html or contact me at the extension office 812-882-3509 or clingerman@purdue.edu.
