Velvet Ant *AKA* The Cow Killer~ Wingless Wasp- Toxic Sting!!!

Guess what I found in the grass over the weekend a Velvet Ant~ *AKA* the cow killer technically this thing is a wingless wasp!! But it's sting is extremely painful and probably could have done some serious damage to the chickens, dogs, or kids if it stung one of them. Or even me for that matter~ but I caught it in a jar to show you all! Check it out...

This is a Female~ with a very toxic stinger!!




Then we found a male Velvet Ant the next day which does have wings but no stinger!




I released the female in a big open feild far away from any houses so she could go about her life! They are really beautiful creatures~ even the male! I let him go back in the yard where he was since he wont bother anything

that scary... *shudders *

That's weird, Tiffany, because just last night I was looking at my kids' Ranger Rick magazine and it had these in there. I think I've seen them around the yard (makes sense, seeing as how we are neighbors) and have always wondered what they are.

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Oh they are beautiful but the females pack a very dangerous sting on them. Me being allergic to bee's and this being technically a wasp~ and having such a powerful sting on it might be enough to put me in the hospital. Make sure you tell your kids not to touch them. They are very solitary and travel alone and don't pose a threat to anyone, but if you should step on it barefoot then you might get a dose of venom in you. I always make sure to show the dangerous bugs to my kids! I caught it in a jar and showed them both so they could see what it looks like and Never Ever to touch it and tell me right away!! Last summer I caught some black widows and showed them what they look like! I haven't come across a brown recluse yet which I really want to see in person so I know for sure what one looks like~ I know the distinct violin feature on their backs is the giveaway but they really look kinda like a normal brown spider. My neighbor said he had those in his garage~ that really freaked me out. That's one pest that makes me nervous!! So you've seen the velvet ant in your backyard?? You know what I saw for the first time was the male velvet ant! That was pretty cool~ My daughter actually noticed it outside and came and got me~ she even brought the jar!! LOL I can definately see me rubbing off on her

The sting hurts like the Dickens... been stung before.
My sister used to call them fuzzy ants....

Would they really be toxic enough to kill a chicken? It hurts, but not anymore than other things that sting....

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I honestly don't know what would happen but I surely didn't want my babies thinking it was snacktime! They say it typically wont kill something the size of our animals or us humans. But if you are allergic to bee's there may be a greater risk of the affects on you. *I guess they just like the nick name Cow Killer* maybe that was just to make people pay attention! Haha

Okay... phewwww... I don't even know if we have them here, but I grew up in Florida and we had plenty.
Been in Tennessee about 8 years and don't recall seeing one.

Do You think they could actually kill a chicken? Sense its said their sting could kill a cow?

WildThang said:

Do You think they could actually kill a chicken? Sense its said their sting could kill a cow?

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Good ole fear-mongering going on is this thread. People looooove to panic.

The name is a result of the sting being very painful, and someone at some point saying "it hurts so bad it could kill a cow". There are, as far as I can tell, no recorded instances of these wasps killing any sort of animal of any kind (aside from their hosts, the cicada killer wasp)

CrazyTalk said:

Good ole fear-mongering going on is this thread. People looooove to panic.

The name is a result of the sting being very painful, and someone at some point saying "it hurts so bad it could kill a cow". There are, as far as I can tell, no recorded instances of these wasps killing any sort of animal of any kind (aside from their hosts, the cicada killer wasp)

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I have been stung by a velvet ant. Sting was in the thumb. Caused entire lower arm but not all of hand to throb. Sting was more painful than that delivered by a bald faced hornet that is considerably larger. You have to torment the velvet ant for it to sting you. My chickens when they encounter velvet ants produce a sound I interpret to mean "nasty". They produce it when ever encountering red / orange insects. The coloration advertises normally bad taste, toxicity or painful bite.