Why Are Velvet Ants Hard To Kill? How To Get Rid Of Them?

Velvet Ant

However, you will be happy to know that it isn’t impossible to kill them. You can get rid of them using insecticides and certain sprays, and we will also talk about that. 

What Are Velvet Ants? 

Velvet ants are a type of wasp. There are many Velvet Ant species, but the Red velvet ants (Dasymutilla occidentalis) are one of the most commonly seen ones across North America and Australia. 

They are black colored with bright orange hair on their backs.

Males have black, transparent wings but can only fly close to the ground. The females are wingless but protect themselves with their stinger. 

Why Are Velvet Ants Hard To Kill?

Female velvet ants have virtually no potential predators – even among animals commonly known to eat small invertebrates. This is because they have multiple defense mechanisms that make them unappealing prey: 

Aposematism

Bright colors are nature’s way of letting predators know that a particular animal or insect is either venomous or dangerous in some way – be it due to their spines, sting, or aggressiveness.

Examples include the ladybird beetles that have a bright red color or the larval stage of Cinnabar moths which are orange and black in color.

Velvet ants also employ this method and have bright orange fuzzy hair on their head and abdomen. 

Stridulation

Adult velvet ants of both genders produce a loud, squeaking noise by rubbing their body parts against their abdomen. This is known as stridulation. 

Stridulation serves two main purposes. Firstly, to warn natural predators that the animal or insect they are approaching is dangerous. 

Secondly, in some insects like crickets, it is also used to attract mates. 

Velvet Ant

How To Get Rid of Them?

Velvet ants are usually solitary. However, if you have a garden or lawn, it’s possible for many of them to get into your house. If you are sure that the insects are Velvet ants, then there are many simple ways to get rid of them: 

Identification and Inspection

The first step is to identify their nesting ground and the cause that is allowing them to thrive. 

Look for open, sunny spaces either with lots of nectar supplies (like flowers) or areas with another host larva, such as a ground-nesting bee colony. 

You can identify a nest by checking for circular holes in the ground with mounds around them. A bunch of these holes together signifies a colony of ground-nesting bees. 

This could be where your wasp leeches off. 

Gearing up

The next step is getting ready to treat the infestation. Since these wasps are stinging insects, you need to wear a PPE kit and thick clothing and make sure every inch of your body is covered.

You should also wear a mask as they can release chemicals. A bee-keeping suit works well. 

Treatment

• After this, you can apply insecticide to your flowering plants to prevent them from taking nectar. Do a patch test beforehand to check if your plants have any sensitivity to the insecticide being used. 
• Next, you can use insecticidal dust and dust the areas in and around the nesting site. Repeat this after a few days. You can use a handheld duster to direct the jet. 
• You might also notice individual wingless females and winged males flying around. Spray them with wasp spray aerosol from a distance. Make sure to do this on a non-windy day to allow the spray jet to reach its target. 
• Check actively for any active nest. If the nests are non-active, you can remove them from the soil. 

Follow up

• After this, make sure you turn the soil from time to time to deter insect growth again. You can reapply insecticidal dust and mow your lawn to keep growth short. 
• Kill any individual ants you see by using the spray. Spray should be applied from at least a distance of 6 feet, and optimally 15 feet. 

It’s best not to keep ornamental plants – however, it is up to you. One thing you should definitely not do is try to pick them up or crush them. The velvet ant sting is not something to be taken lightly! 

Male Velvet Ant

Preventing Velvet Ants 

Getting rid of any species of the velvet ant is not a large task. They do not congregate in groups, and you won’t come across a horde of them. 

For dealing with small numbers, you can use insecticides combined with hornet spray or even nectar traps for them to get stuck in. 

However, after getting rid of them – make sure you get rid of all nests to prevent further growth. 

To prevent them from getting into your home, make sure you get the spray into all nooks and crannies. Cut down any branches of trees touching your windows or home. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Wrap Up

We hope this information helped you in knowing how to get rid of velvet ants. Like other wasps, they are susceptible to strong pesticides and are commonly found in over-the-counter sprays. If you live in an area that’s prone to them, it’s best to keep a spray handy for the odd one that finds its way into your home.

Thank you for reading.