Velvet ants look cute and cuddly, but in their immature stages, these bugs are mean parasitoids. So what do velvet ants eat as adults? And what about when they are larvae? Let’s find out
If an insect is named a cow killer, there is a high chance that it kills animals like cows and is a carnivore or omnivore, right? Well, not completely.
The cow killer ants are also known as velvet ants, and these insects do not eat cows, nor are they capable of killing one.
But if not cow meat, then what do these insects eat? Let us find out in this article.
What Are Velvet Ants?
Velvet ants are actually a species of wasps. They look like ants who have grown big hair on their bodies, which is why they get the name velvet ants.
They have brightly colored bodies covered with a thick coat of bristles.
Although they look similar to ants, if you look closely, you will notice that ants have elbow-shaped antennae, and these wasps have straight antennae.
One interesting thing about these bugs is that while the males have wings and can fly, the females have no wings, and they usually crawl around to get to places.
Most people who have spotted females crawling around thought they were some kind of ant, and that’s how the name came about.
What Do They Eat?
There are many doubts regarding the diet of the velvet ants. Some claim that these wasp species are herbivorous, while others claim them to be omnivorous.
This confusion occurs mainly because the adults and the larvae have different palates. As larvae, these bugs are parasites. Let us take a closer look at each of these.
As Adult Insects
Adult velvet ants are herbivorous in nature, and like many other wasps and bees, they highly rely on nectar and water to survive. Milkweed is one flower that they love a lot.
As Velvet Ant Larvae
The female velvet ant lays eggs in the nests of other insects. As the larvae emerge, they kill and eat the already present larvae in the nest and then pupate to overwinter, emerging as healthy adults later on.
What Habitats Do They Live in?
Velvet ants do not build their own nests; the wingless female lays eggs in other insects’ nests, like ground-nesting bees.
Due to this, you will often find them near areas where these hosts build their nests. Velvet ants prefer to live in warm and dry areas, like cemeteries, lawns, non-shaded regions of forests, and more.
These bugs are found across the US, Australia, and the UK. There are several species of velvet ant. The most abundant one in North America is the Dasymutilla occidentalis.
What Eats Velvet Ants?
Velvet ants are hunted by different predators like lizards, birds, toads, moles, shrews, and more. It can be a little hard to catch them, especially the females, since they have developed a lot of defenses to keep the potential predators at bay.
We will discuss these defense techniques in detail in the next section.
Adaptations of Velvet Ants To Avoid Predators
The males can avoid attacks from predators flying into safe spots, but since the female can’t fly, they often rely on their ability to deliver painful stings to defend themselves.
Also, these wasps have tough exoskeletons, which makes it hard for the predators to attack them directly.
Moreover, their bright-colored bodies are an indication of danger or toxicity to the predators looking to hunt them.
It is fascinating how they make up for the absence of flying ability by developing these additional defenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a velvet ant hurt you?
The male velvet ants do not sting and are completely harmless. However, the females are stinging insects, and these stings are extremely painful.
Therefore, you should never approach these insects recklessly. The bites will also cause problems like redness, swelling, and irritation.
Can you keep velvet ants as pets?
Although they are tiny and are brightly colored, you shouldn’t keep velvet ants as pets. Females are dangerous, and they can sting the people in your family.
The stings are extremely painful and will cause problems like redness, swelling, and irritation.
What kills velvet ants?
Female velvet ants have a solid defense system making them tough to hunt, but certain predators can easily catch and kill these wasps.
Toads, lizards, moles, slugs, birds, etc., are some of the top predators of these insects.
Do velvet ants drink water?
Yes, adult velvet ants highly rely on water and nectar to fulfill their diets.
When they are in the larval stage, they often kill and eat the already present larvae in the nest of the host, where the female chooses to lay eggs.
Due to this nature, these insects fall in the category of parasitic wasps.
Wrap Up
There is often a lot of confusion regarding the eating habits of the velvet ants. A big reason behind this is the fact that the adults and the larvae have different diets.
Also, since they are called cow killers, it might give an impression of them being a carnivore. But the adult does not kill or consume cows.
We hope the article gave you a clear overview of what these wasps eat. Thank you for reading the piece.
1 Comment. Leave new
I have found one in my yard I was wondering if its poisonous please tell me I did not touch it but I cought it it had a stinger