Dasymutilla
Encyclopedia
The genus Dasymutilla belongs to the Mutillidae
family. The females of the genus are well known for their painful sting, which is where many gain their common name, Cow Killer. The female is wingless and often resemble large ants while the males still retain their wings. The larva of the Dasymutilla are external parasites to various types of hymenoptera
. When disturbed the Dasymutilla makes a high-pitched squeaking sound identical to the Pogonomyrmex
(Harvester ant).
Mutillidae
Mutillidae are a family of more than 3,000 species of wasp whose wingless females resemble ants. Their common name velvet ant refers to their dense pile of hair which most often is bright scarlet or orange but may also be black, white, silver, or gold. Their bright colours serve as aposematic signals...
family. The females of the genus are well known for their painful sting, which is where many gain their common name, Cow Killer. The female is wingless and often resemble large ants while the males still retain their wings. The larva of the Dasymutilla are external parasites to various types of hymenoptera
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is one of the largest orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees and ants. There are over 130,000 recognized species, with many more remaining to be described. The name refers to the heavy wings of the insects, and is derived from the Ancient Greek ὑμήν : membrane and...
. When disturbed the Dasymutilla makes a high-pitched squeaking sound identical to the Pogonomyrmex
Pogonomyrmex
Pogonomyrmex is a genus of harvester ants, occurring primarily in the deserts of North and South America. The genus name originated from the Greek language and refers to a beard-like structure, the psammophore, below the head , which can be found in most species of the subgenus sensu stricto...
(Harvester ant).
Species
- D. alesia
- D. archboldi
- D. arenivaga
- D. asopus
- D. aureola
- D. bioculata
- D. californica
- D. calorata
- D. chattahoochei
- D. chiron
- D. chisos
- D. coccineohirta
- D. creon
- D. creusa
- D. dilucida
- D. foxi
- D. gibbosa
- D. gloriosaDasymutilla gloriosaThe Thistledown Velvet Ant is a member of the Dasymutilla genus. The female is flightless while the male retains its wings. It ranges from Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and south into Mexico....
(Thistledown Velvet Ant)
- D. gorgon
- D. heliophila
- D. klugii
- D. lepeletierii
- D. magnifica (Red Velvet Ant)
- D. meracula
- D. monticola
- D. mutata
- D. nigricauda
- D. nigripes
- D. nitidula
- D. nocturna
- D. nogalensis
- D. occidentalisDasymutilla occidentalisDasymutilla occidentalis, commonly known as the Eastern Velvet Ant or Red Velvet Ant, is a species of parasitoid wasp that is native to the eastern United States. Commonly mistaken for a member of the true ant family, the female is wingless. The species ranges from Connecticut to Missouri in the...
(Cow Killer) - D. pyrrhus
- D. quadriguttata
- D. sackenii
- D. scaevola
- D. sicheliana
- D. thetis
- D. vesta
- D. vestita