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Project Noah Nature School
Dasymutilla occidentalis
It was about twice the size of our Red Velvet Ants, and more yellow. Is it a female possibly?
Reza, thank you so much for the information! I was just surprised at how much they change. I'm used to watching lepidoptera I guess. When they are adults, they don't grow any more. Lol
Hi Cammie I have attached a link that you might like to see....according to this article it seems that "Velvet ants range in size from 1/8 inch to one inch, with great variation within species. Size appears to depend upon size of host used during development".....http://www.desertusa.com/mag01/feb/papr/ant.html
Reza, I agree with the ID. But is this a female possibly? I don't understand why the body is so much larger and more yellow than the other Velvet Ants.
Spotted on Sep 23, 2012
Submitted on Sep 24, 2012
+2
