Comments for Large orange and black ant (Velvet Ant)
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Large orange and black ant (Velvet Ant)

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Velvet Ants
by: Moni

Anonymous
Most insects live a short period of time. The adult lays its eggs then usually die. Therefore, my guess is this insect - if you have one like the photo - it is a female has either laid its eggs and it is ready to die or it needs to find the bumble bee nest to lay eggs in, so it can complete its life cycle. It will probably not live long. The adult males are known to feed on nectar...did not read what the females eat if they do at all.

Either way, since this insect can inflict a painful bite I would not think it a very good "pet". Please be careful.
Here is some information about it from Texas A&M Univ.
http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg344.html
Velvet ant
by: Anonymous

I just found one in our back yard in the city of Houston, Tx. I guess they live down here too. This creature has a most unusuall behavior, it sleeps most of the time and it's only seems to be awaken by the warm air outside. Right now it lives in a small acquarium in my kitchen. I am trying to study its behavior. So far I've noticed that it sleeps a lot. Does any one knows anything about this creature and how long does it lives in captivity?
Velvet Ant
by: Moni

Margie
Your photo is of a female velvet ant also called cow killer. Males have black wings while females are wingless. This is actually a wasp. It got it's name because it was said that the sting from the female hurt so bad it would kill a cow. They are shades of yellow and brown or red and black.
They are found in meadows, old fields, and edges of forests especially those with sandy soil.

Adult velvet ants feed on nectar and water. The larva are parasites of bumble bees. The female velvet ant searches for bumble bee nests, digs down and deposits one egg near the brood chamber. Velvet ant larva enter the bumble bee brood chamber, kills those larvae by feeding on them. Larvae pupate in the bumble bee chamber.

Females have a very painful sting if handled.
Velvet ants are not aggressive and will try to escape when encountered.
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by: Eric

I've seen these in Georgia. I always wondered what they were.

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