# Dasymutilla Dasymutilla, also known as the velvet ant, is a unique insect that looks like a fuzzy ant! They are actually wasps and are famous for their bright colors and amazing ability to deliver a painful sting! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** They can be found in open fields, grasslands, and sandy areas. - **Also known as:** fuzzy wasp ![Dasymutilla](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dasymutilla_pulchra.jpg&width=800) Photo: Julián-Caballero C. Camilo, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dasymutilla_pulchra.jpg) ## Appearance The Dasymutilla is covered in dense, velvety hair, often strikingly colored in reds, oranges, blacks, or whites. Females are wingless and resemble large, fuzzy ants, while males possess dark, membranous wings. Its robust, ant-like body and vibrant warning colors make it visually distinct from true ants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Mutillidae - **Genus:** Dasymutilla ## Interesting facts - A single female velvet ant can lay hundreds of eggs, each needing a different host larva to survive! - Despite looking like fuzzy ants, these insects are actually a type of wasp, with the females being wingless! - Some velvet ants can make a distinct squeaking sound by rubbing body parts together when they feel threatened! - Their sting is so famously painful, some species are nicknamed 'cow killers,' even though they don't actually kill cows. ## Special abilities - **Painful Protector:** Dasymutilla can deliver an extremely painful sting because of a potent venom, helping them deter predators effectively. - **Armored Body:** Dasymutilla has an exceptionally tough exoskeleton that helps protect it from crushing attacks by predators. - **Warning Colors:** Dasymutilla displays vibrant red, orange, or yellow coloration that helps warn predators to stay away. - **Clever Host Hunter:** Dasymutilla females can locate and parasitize the nests of other ground-nesting insects, providing food for their larvae. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 15-50 mm - **Size:** 8-30 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-90 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult velvet ants sip nectar, while their larvae are parasites, feeding on other insect young. - **Age differences:** Larvae are carnivorous parasitoids of other insects' young, while adults primarily feed on nectar. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, larvae of ground-nesting bees, pupae of wasps, larvae of beetles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Parasitizes:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Female velvet ants lay eggs on bumble bee larvae. - **Parasitizes:** Eastern Cicada Killer (*Sphecius speciosus*) — Velvet ant larvae consume the young of these large wasps. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus undulatus*) — Lizards might try to eat velvet ants, but usually regret it. - **Eaten by:** Eastern Meadowlark (*Sturnella magna*) — Some birds, like meadowlarks, may occasionally prey on velvet ants. - **Depends on:** [Common Milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) — Adults feed on the nectar of milkweed and other wildflowers. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Do not touch them as they can sting! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dasymutilla? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Dasymutilla's wingspan? 15-50 mm ### How big is Dasymutilla? 8-30 mm ### How long does Dasymutilla live? 30-90 days ### What does Dasymutilla eat? Adult velvet ants sip nectar, while their larvae are parasites, feeding on other insect young. ### Where is Dasymutilla usually found? They can be found in open fields, grasslands, and sandy areas. ### How does Dasymutilla hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Dasymutilla have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Dinosaur Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dinosaur-park) — South Dakota, US · Botanical Garden ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Dasymutilla: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dasymutilla)