We found something in our yard that a neighbor said was a “velvet ant.” What is a velvet ant?
A. Velvet ants are solitary wasps, not ants. They are usually brightly colored, black with red, orange or white, or, in some species, all white. The wingless females wander around looking for ground-dwelling bees and wasps to parasitize. When they are disturbed, they produce an acoustical warning (squeaking noise) that reinforces their bright warning coloration. If handled, velvet ants (also known as cow killers and mule killers) can deliver an attention-getting sting. I have been bitten and stung by almost everything that bites and stings, including rattlesnakes, centipedes, black widows, scorpions, ants, bees and wasps, but the sting of a velvet ant ranks with the best of them in pain. Q. I had this long, tan bug with long legs and black fangs and long antennae in my house. My neighbor said it was a child-of-the-earth and a friend said it was a sun spider and I should get my house sprayed. Can you tell what it is by my description or should I bring it in? A. What you describe sounds
