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Project Noah Nature School
Dasymutilla sackenii
This white fuzzy insect has black long legs and body. The genus is known to make a high pitch squeal when disturbed. I moved a stick next to it (video) and there was no sound. I did not want to bother it anymore :)
Dirt trail at Blue Sky Ecological Reserve.
This is a type of wingless wasp. "Velvet Ant" refers to the hairy nature and the body form like that of ants. Females wingless, very hairy, and may look like large ants but have no node (bump) on "waist" between abdomen and thorax (ants have one or two). Males winged, less hairy, look more like typical wasps, larger than females." - BugGuide
Spotted on Oct 17, 2011
Submitted on Oct 17, 2011
8 Comments
Hi Cindy, here is my spotting.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/372...
That's so cool, Luis! They are very neat wasps. Looking forward to seeing yours soon :)
Hi Cindy, I found one today and I had no idea of what it was. After researching I learned It was a white velvet ant and then researching PN database I see you have this spotting. I'll send you a link as soon as I up load it to PN .
Thanks guys. Yes it was pretty punky & I wasn't about to touch it! I love finding things I didn't even knew existed :)
Glad you didn't get stung! Nice photos and video.
What a nippy, punky litlle critter! Very cool.
WoW
Based on the genus, would this one be considered a Cow Killer as well?