Hey guys, I caught a black and red bug (don't know if it's an ant) with a white ball on the abdomen. The thing is a bit hairy too.
Date and location of capture, 2017-07-04 Portugal, in the shadow of street, near some crematogaster ants (might be coincidence).
I asked on a facebook forum about ants (Tar Heel Ants Interactive Newsletter and Ant Keeping Group) and they say it's Velvet ant, Mutilidae.
Can I get confirmation?
Some tips how to keep her? Seems it's different than regular queen ants.
Velvet ant
Moderator: ooper01
- idahoantgirl
- Posts: 1521
- Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
- Location: Idaho, USA
Re: Velvet ant
Yeah... looks like a velvet. SO, these guys aren't ants. They are more like flightless wasps. They have a very powerful sting, so be careful! They are also called cow killers for that reason. To my knowledge you can't keep her like you would an ant. Idk, maybe theres some sort of velvet ant keeping community?ScaryBuh wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2017 4:07 pmHey guys, I caught a black and red bug (don't know if it's an ant) with a white ball on the abdomen. The thing is a bit hairy too.
Date and location of capture, 2017-07-04 Portugal, in the shadow of street, near some crematogaster ants (might be coincidence).
I asked on a facebook forum about ants (Tar Heel Ants Interactive Newsletter and Ant Keeping Group) and they say it's Velvet ant, Mutilidae.
Can I get confirmation?
Some tips how to keep her? Seems it's different than regular queen ants.
Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile
- Jadeninja9
- Posts: 732
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:00 pm
- Location: SF Bay Area, California
Re: Velvet ant
Velvet ants have the third most painful sting in the world so be careful lol
Keeper of:
1x Camponotus Hyatti
1x Lasius alienus colonies
1x Tetramorium immigrans
1x Camponotus Hyatti
1x Lasius alienus colonies
1x Tetramorium immigrans
Re: Velvet ant
You can't keep them. Most of them are parasites on other insects, bumblebees for example.
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