CLOSED: Should we be scared?

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Terry Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a) Aug 26, 2006

We've seen these ants (?) since we brought in some topsoil last fall.

They're not aggressive, but they're HUGE - probably 1/2" or more in length. Kinda furry/velvety looking and a strange red-orange color.

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Terry Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a) Aug 26, 2006

Here's what their nest looks like. Lovely soil, eh? And to think I *paid* for it. Grrrr. That's a whole other (whiney) story, though ;o)

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kennedyh Churchill, Victoria, Australia(Zone 10a) Aug 26, 2006

Terry,
Your ant is not an ant, but a wingless female wasp, although it's common name is ant nevertheless.
It is a Red Velvet Ant or Cow Killer (Dasymutilla occidentalis) http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg344.html
http://bugguide.net/node/view/10131

It is in the family: Mutillidae

The nest you attribute to it might perhaps be a ground-nesting bee as the Red Velvet Bee parasitises these bees,

Yes maybe you should be scared as they apparently have a painful sting

Ken

This message was edited Aug 27, 2006 12:23 PM

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Terry Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a) Aug 27, 2006

Thanks, Ken.

We do have ground bees, but I've never seen any activity from them around this "nest" - only the "velvet ant" (apt name for sure!)

I guess it's a good thing we weren't aware of its reputation while we were getting "up close and personal". My husband was trying to corral it (they move pretty fast) so I could get a picture. The neighbors already think we're a little looney, so they probably didn't think anything of us running around the driveway, laughing at ourselves while we were chasing this critter who wanted desperately to seek refuge in the grass ;o)

I still bear a weird "bruised" looking patch of skin thanks to a painful red wasp sting a few weeks ago, so I'm not going to try to get stung by one of these and report on the comparative pain levels of each!

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ceejaytown The Woodlands, TX(Zone 9a) Aug 27, 2006

It is supposed to be MUCH worse! Hence the name "Cow Killer".....

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GD_Rankin San Antonio, TX(Zone 9a) Aug 30, 2006

Interesting . . . I've seen some similar to this one around my place a time or two. Of course it wasn't while I had a camera in hand. The ones I have seen are velvet looking, but they're mostly black except for the large tail section - it's a red-orange color and velvet looking for sure.

Wonder if they're sting'n cousins?
(I'll try to get a photo of one for the database)

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