{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; float:right; margin-left: 10px;
|+ !colspan="2" style="min-width:12em; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)|'''Eastern Cicada Killer
|-
| [[File:Cicada-killer.jpg | [https://www.flapest.com/pest-info/bees-wasps-and-hornets/cicada-killer-wasp/]]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Kingdom:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Animals|Animalia]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Phylum:
|style="min-width:6em; |Arthropoda
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Class:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Insects | Insecta]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Order:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Hymenoptera]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Family:
|style="min-width:6em; |Crabronidae
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Genus:
|style="min-width:6em; |Sphecius
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Species:
|style="min-width:6em; |Sphecius Speciosus
|-
|}

== Description ==
The Eastern Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus) is a large, solitary digger wasp belonging to the Crabronidae family. TIt is one of the largest wasp species in North America. Adults can range from 1.5 cm to 5 cm in length, with females typically being larger than males<ref name= "Coelho">Coelho, J.R. 1998. “(PDF) An Acoustical and Physiological Analysis of Buzzing in Cicada Killer Wasps (Sphecius Speciosus ).” ResearchGate, July. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003590050297.</ref>. The abdomen is banded yellow and black, giving them a similar appearance to yellowjackets and other wasps. Their wings are large, brown-colored, and translucent. The eyes are quite large and reddish-brown in color. Eastern Cicada Killers have six legs that can range in color from yellow to red. Both female and male abdomens end in a tip, giving the appearance of a stinger, but only females actually possess a functional sting.
[[File:Cicada Killer Wasp MF.jpg|frame|center | Male vs Female Eastern Cicada Killer]]

== Habitat and Range ==

[[File:Eastern-Cicada_Killer-Range.png|frame|right| [https://bugguide.net/node/view/514/data US Range of Eastern Cicada Killer]]]
Eastern Cicada Killers can be found throughout eastern North America<ref name= "Bug Guide">“Species Sphecius Speciosus - Eastern Cicada-Killer Wasp.” n.d. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://bugguide.net/node/view/514/data..</ref>. They prefer well-drained, loose, sandy soils on southward-facing slopes for digging their nesting burrows. These nests may be located in forests or grasslands, as well as in more urban settings such as parks and gardens. The wasp prefers bare [[soil]] that is typically exposed to sunlight for optimal burrow placement. These burrows can be 25 cm to 50 cm deep and are typically 1.5 cm wide. The nests created within may contain multiple cells that serve as nurseries, with females capable of supporting up to 16 larvae in a single nest<ref name= "Gibb">Gibb, Timothy. 2018. “Cicada Killers.” March 2018. https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-254/E-254.html.</ref>.
[[File:Eastern Cicada Killer wasp nest.png | frame | center | [https://sites.tufts.edu/pollinators/tag/cicada-killer/ Cicada Killer Burrow]]]

== Behavior and Life Cycle ==
[[File:Cicada-killer-with-insect.jpg |1000px| thumb|right | [https://pamlico.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/08/cicada-killer-wasp/ Cicada caught by Eastern Cicada Killer]]]
The Eastern Cicada Killer are solitary, not forming large hives like bees or hornets. Males can be seen in groups, however this is due to them being highly terrotorial and fighting for space. Males will attempt to court any females in their terriotry, and if successful, the two will mate. After mating, the female will then begin to look for a spot to burrow for a nest. Multiple females can create and share a single burrow, while having their own cells within the nest. Cicada Killer adults do not actually eat [[cicadas]], as thier main food source is actually nectar from flowers. These wasps get their name due to their parasitic larval stage. After the nest is complete and ready for larva, the female will venture off to find a cicada. Once found, the females use their stinger to paralyze the cicada, then take it back to its burrow. Females are capable of cacthing and stinging cicadas in midair. This is a remarkable feat for these wasps, as cicadas are typically much larger then them. The live cicada is stored in one of the cells, where the female cicada killer will then lay an egg on its prey before closing the cell off. Female eggs have been noted to sometimes recieve two cicadas within their cells, as they're larger and require more energy<ref name= "Coelho/Joseph">Coelho, Joseph R. 1997. “Sexual Size Dimorphism and Flight Behavior in Cicada Killers, Sphecius Speciosus.” Oikos 79 (2): 371–75. https://doi.org/10.2307/3546021..</ref>.

These eggs will hatch in 2 to 3 days, in which the larvae will burrow into the still live cicada and begin to devour its internal organs. The cicada needs to be alive as long as possible due to the risk of spoiling being deadly to the larvae<ref name= "Holliday">Holliday. 2014. “Biology of Cicada Killer Wasps | Prof. Chuck Holliday’s Www Page at Lafayette College.” October 22, 2014. http://web.archive.org/web/20141022032916/http://sites.lafayette.edu/hollidac/research/biology-of-cicada-killer-wasps/.</ref>. After they finish feeding, the larvae will then spin a cocoon to stay in. They stay in these cocoons over the winter, spending 10-12 months underground<ref name= "Gist">Gist, Kelson. n.d. “Sphecius Speciosus (Cicada Killer).” Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sphecius_speciosus/.</ref>. Around mid-July, adults begin to emerge from these burrows. Males emerge first, in order to start the competition over territory and mating before females arrive<ref name= "Carlton">Carlton, Christopher E. 2024. “Sphecius Speciosus, Eastern Cicada Killer (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).” LSU AgCenter. February 16, 2024. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/madeleinestout/articles/page1685734764096.</ref>. Females tend to emerge a week or two later, when mating will also begin. Once a female is mated, she will not mate with another male, and will begin to find a place to burrow for a nest. Males tend to die shortly after mating, while females die after laying eggs<ref name= "Holliday">Holliday. 2014. “Biology of Cicada Killer Wasps | Prof. Chuck Holliday’s Www Page at Lafayette College.” October 22, 2014. http://web.archive.org/web/20141022032916/http://sites.lafayette.edu/hollidac/research/biology-of-cicada-killer-wasps/.</ref>. Both adult populations tend to all be dead by mid-September, where their larvae will wait underground to repeat the process come July. This means that each year is a completely new generation of Eastern Cicada Killers.

Eastern Cicada Killers pose no threat to humans. Unlike eusocial [[hymenoptera]], Eastern Cicada Killers do not sting out of protection for their nests. Males tend to patrol their territory, and because of this, they tend to investigate any type of movement. This can be quite intimidating for a person as the Eastern Cicada Killer is quite large and loud, and will begin to hover around and maybe even land on them. This can be seen as aggressive behavior, however females tend to not sting unless handled roughly, and males possess no stinger at all.

== Ecological Role ==
Eastern Cicada Killers can play multiple roles within an ecosystem. Firstly they can act as a control on cicada population numbers within a forest. Cicadas can cause damage to deciduous forests when their populations grow too large, as female cicadas use these trees to lay their eggs. Eastern Cicada Killers rely solely on these cicadas for their natural life cycle, and their predation on them helps numbers stay from growing into a problem for the larger ecosystem. Eastern Cicada Killers also acts as pollinators, as they feed on the nectar of flowers and get pollen stuck to them. Eastern Cicada Killers are also a host species for the [[Red Velvet Ant]] (although it is a type of wasp)<ref name= "MO DEC">Missouri Department of Conservation. n.d. “Eastern Cicada-Killer Wasp.” Missouri Department of Conservation. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-cicada-killer-wasp.</ref>. The Red Velvet Ant will lay its eggs in an Eastern Cicada Killers nest cell. When the Cicada Killers begin to pupate, the Red Velvet Ant larvae then begins to feed on it.

[[File:Cicada-killer-on-flower.jpg | frame | left|[https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/128505647 Eastern Cicada Killer on flower ]]][[File:Cicada Killer.jpg | frame |right | [https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef004 Eastern Cicada Killer carrying cicada]]] [[File:Red Velvet Ant.jpg | frame | center | [https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/red-velvet-ant-or-cow-killer/ Red Velvet Ant]]]

== References ==
<ref name= "Carlton">Carlton, Christopher E. 2024. “Sphecius Speciosus, Eastern Cicada Killer (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).” LSU AgCenter. February 16, 2024. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/madeleinestout/articles/page1685734764096.</ref>
<ref name= "Coelho/Joseph">Coelho, Joseph R. 1997. “Sexual Size Dimorphism and Flight Behavior in Cicada Killers, Sphecius Speciosus.” Oikos 79 (2): 371–75. https://doi.org/10.2307/3546021..</ref>
<ref name= "Coelho">Coelho, J.R. 1998. “(PDF) An Acoustical and Physiological Analysis of Buzzing in Cicada Killer Wasps (Sphecius Speciosus ).” ResearchGate, July. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003590050297.</ref>
<ref name= "MO DEC">Missouri Department of Conservation. n.d. “Eastern Cicada-Killer Wasp.” Missouri Department of Conservation. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-cicada-killer-wasp.</ref>
<ref name= "Gibb">Gibb, Timothy. 2018. “Cicada Killers.” March 2018. https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-254/E-254.html.</ref>
<ref name= "Gist">Gist, Kelson. n.d. “Sphecius Speciosus (Cicada Killer).” Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sphecius_speciosus/.</ref>
<ref name= "Holliday">Holliday. 2014. “Biology of Cicada Killer Wasps | Prof. Chuck Holliday’s Www Page at Lafayette College.” October 22, 2014. http://web.archive.org/web/20141022032916/http://sites.lafayette.edu/hollidac/research/biology-of-cicada-killer-wasps/.</ref>
<ref name= "Bug Guide">“Species Sphecius Speciosus - Eastern Cicada-Killer Wasp.” n.d. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://bugguide.net/node/view/514/data..</ref>

Eastern Cicada Killer

2025-05-02T04:11:49Z

Gjmaltbi: /* Description */

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; float:right; margin-left: 10px;
|+ !colspan="2" style="min-width:12em; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)|'''Eastern Cicada Killer
|-
| [[File:Cicada-killer.jpg | [https://www.flapest.com/pest-info/bees-wasps-and-hornets/cicada-killer-wasp/]]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Kingdom:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Animals|Animalia]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Phylum:
|style="min-width:6em; |Arthropoda
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Class:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Insects | Insecta]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Order:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Hymenoptera]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Family:
|style="min-width:6em; |Crabronidae
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Genus:
|style="min-width:6em; |Sphecius
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Species:
|style="min-width:6em; |Sphecius Speciosus
|-
|}

== Description ==
The Eastern Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus) is a large, solitary digger wasp belonging to the Crabronidae family. TIt is one of the largest wasp species in North America. Adults can range from 1.5 cm to 5 cm in length, with females typically being larger than males<ref name= "Coelho">Coelho, J.R. 1998. “(PDF) An Acoustical and Physiological Analysis of Buzzing in Cicada Killer Wasps (Sphecius Speciosus ).” ResearchGate, July. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003590050297.</ref>. The abdomen is banded yellow and black, giving them a similar appearance to yellowjackets and other wasps. Their wings are large, brown-colored, and translucent. The eyes are quite large and reddish-brown in color. Eastern Cicada Killers have six legs that can range in color from yellow to red. Both female and male abdomens end in a tip, giving the appearance of a stinger, but only females actually possess a functional sting.
[[File:Cicada Killer Wasp MF.jpg|frame|center | Male vs Female Eastern Cicada Killer]]

== Habitat and Range ==

[[File:Eastern-Cicada_Killer-Range.png|frame|right| [https://bugguide.net/node/view/514/data US Range of Eastern Cicada Killer]]]
Eastern Cicada Killers can be found all along eastern North America<ref name= "Bug Guide">“Species Sphecius Speciosus - Eastern Cicada-Killer Wasp.” n.d. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://bugguide.net/node/view/514/data..</ref>. They prefer well-drained, loose, sandy soils on southward facing slopes to dig their burrows for nesting. These nests can be found in forests or grasslands and also in more urban settings like parks and gardens. The wasp prefers bare [[soil]] that typically is exposed to sunlight for their burrow placement. These burrows can be 25cm to 50cm deep and typically 1.5cm wide. The nests created inside can have multiple cells that act as nurseries, with females able to support up to 16 larvae in one nest<ref name= "Gibb">Gibb, Timothy. 2018. “Cicada Killers.” March 2018. https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-254/E-254.html.</ref>.
[[File:Eastern Cicada Killer wasp nest.png | frame | center | [https://sites.tufts.edu/pollinators/tag/cicada-killer/ Cicada Killer Burrow]]]

== Behavior and Life Cycle ==
[[File:Cicada-killer-with-insect.jpg |1000px| thumb|right | [https://pamlico.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/08/cicada-killer-wasp/ Cicada caught by Eastern Cicada Killer]]]
The Eastern Cicada Killer are solitary, not forming large hives like bees or hornets. Males can be seen in groups, however this is due to them being highly terrotorial and fighting for space. Males will attempt to court any females in their terriotry, and if successful, the two will mate. After mating, the female will then begin to look for a spot to burrow for a nest. Multiple females can create and share a single burrow, while having their own cells within the nest. Cicada Killer adults do not actually eat [[cicadas]], as thier main food source is actually nectar from flowers. These wasps get their name due to their parasitic larval stage. After the nest is complete and ready for larva, the female will venture off to find a cicada. Once found, the females use their stinger to paralyze the cicada, then take it back to its burrow. Females are capable of cacthing and stinging cicadas in midair. This is a remarkable feat for these wasps, as cicadas are typically much larger then them. The live cicada is stored in one of the cells, where the female cicada killer will then lay an egg on its prey before closing the cell off. Female eggs have been noted to sometimes recieve two cicadas within their cells, as they're larger and require more energy<ref name= "Coelho/Joseph">Coelho, Joseph R. 1997. “Sexual Size Dimorphism and Flight Behavior in Cicada Killers, Sphecius Speciosus.” Oikos 79 (2): 371–75. https://doi.org/10.2307/3546021..</ref>.

These eggs will hatch in 2 to 3 days, in which the larvae will burrow into the still live cicada and begin to devour its internal organs. The cicada needs to be alive as long as possible due to the risk of spoiling being deadly to the larvae<ref name= "Holliday">Holliday. 2014. “Biology of Cicada Killer Wasps | Prof. Chuck Holliday’s Www Page at Lafayette College.” October 22, 2014. http://web.archive.org/web/20141022032916/http://sites.lafayette.edu/hollidac/research/biology-of-cicada-killer-wasps/.</ref>. After they finish feeding, the larvae will then spin a cocoon to stay in. They stay in these cocoons over the winter, spending 10-12 months underground<ref name= "Gist">Gist, Kelson. n.d. “Sphecius Speciosus (Cicada Killer).” Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sphecius_speciosus/.</ref>. Around mid-July, adults begin to emerge from these burrows. Males emerge first, in order to start the competition over territory and mating before females arrive<ref name= "Carlton">Carlton, Christopher E. 2024. “Sphecius Speciosus, Eastern Cicada Killer (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).” LSU AgCenter. February 16, 2024. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/madeleinestout/articles/page1685734764096.</ref>. Females tend to emerge a week or two later, when mating will also begin. Once a female is mated, she will not mate with another male, and will begin to find a place to burrow for a nest. Males tend to die shortly after mating, while females die after laying eggs<ref name= "Holliday">Holliday. 2014. “Biology of Cicada Killer Wasps | Prof. Chuck Holliday’s Www Page at Lafayette College.” October 22, 2014. http://web.archive.org/web/20141022032916/http://sites.lafayette.edu/hollidac/research/biology-of-cicada-killer-wasps/.</ref>. Both adult populations tend to all be dead by mid-September, where their larvae will wait underground to repeat the process come July. This means that each year is a completely new generation of Eastern Cicada Killers.

Eastern Cicada Killers pose no threat to humans. Unlike eusocial [[hymenoptera]], Eastern Cicada Killers do not sting out of protection for their nests. Males tend to patrol their territory, and because of this, they tend to investigate any type of movement. This can be quite intimidating for a person as the Eastern Cicada Killer is quite large and loud, and will begin to hover around and maybe even land on them. This can be seen as aggressive behavior, however females tend to not sting unless handled roughly, and males possess no stinger at all.

== Ecological Role ==
Eastern Cicada Killers can play multiple roles within an ecosystem. Firstly they can act as a control on cicada population numbers within a forest. Cicadas can cause damage to deciduous forests when their populations grow too large, as female cicadas use these trees to lay their eggs. Eastern Cicada Killers rely solely on these cicadas for their natural life cycle, and their predation on them helps numbers stay from growing into a problem for the larger ecosystem. Eastern Cicada Killers also acts as pollinators, as they feed on the nectar of flowers and get pollen stuck to them. Eastern Cicada Killers are also a host species for the [[Red Velvet Ant]] (although it is a type of wasp)<ref name= "MO DEC">Missouri Department of Conservation. n.d. “Eastern Cicada-Killer Wasp.” Missouri Department of Conservation. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-cicada-killer-wasp.</ref>. The Red Velvet Ant will lay its eggs in an Eastern Cicada Killers nest cell. When the Cicada Killers begin to pupate, the Red Velvet Ant larvae then begins to feed on it.

[[File:Cicada-killer-on-flower.jpg | frame | left|[https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/128505647 Eastern Cicada Killer on flower ]]][[File:Cicada Killer.jpg | frame |right | [https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef004 Eastern Cicada Killer carrying cicada]]] [[File:Red Velvet Ant.jpg | frame | center | [https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/red-velvet-ant-or-cow-killer/ Red Velvet Ant]]]

== References ==
<ref name= "Carlton">Carlton, Christopher E. 2024. “Sphecius Speciosus, Eastern Cicada Killer (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).” LSU AgCenter. February 16, 2024. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/madeleinestout/articles/page1685734764096.</ref>
<ref name= "Coelho/Joseph">Coelho, Joseph R. 1997. “Sexual Size Dimorphism and Flight Behavior in Cicada Killers, Sphecius Speciosus.” Oikos 79 (2): 371–75. https://doi.org/10.2307/3546021..</ref>
<ref name= "Coelho">Coelho, J.R. 1998. “(PDF) An Acoustical and Physiological Analysis of Buzzing in Cicada Killer Wasps (Sphecius Speciosus ).” ResearchGate, July. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003590050297.</ref>
<ref name= "MO DEC">Missouri Department of Conservation. n.d. “Eastern Cicada-Killer Wasp.” Missouri Department of Conservation. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-cicada-killer-wasp.</ref>
<ref name= "Gibb">Gibb, Timothy. 2018. “Cicada Killers.” March 2018. https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-254/E-254.html.</ref>
<ref name= "Gist">Gist, Kelson. n.d. “Sphecius Speciosus (Cicada Killer).” Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sphecius_speciosus/.</ref>
<ref name= "Holliday">Holliday. 2014. “Biology of Cicada Killer Wasps | Prof. Chuck Holliday’s Www Page at Lafayette College.” October 22, 2014. http://web.archive.org/web/20141022032916/http://sites.lafayette.edu/hollidac/research/biology-of-cicada-killer-wasps/.</ref>
<ref name= "Bug Guide">“Species Sphecius Speciosus - Eastern Cicada-Killer Wasp.” n.d. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://bugguide.net/node/view/514/data..</ref>

Red Velvet Ant

2025-04-20T05:26:38Z

Gjmaltbi:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; float:right; margin-left: 10px;
|+ !colspan="2" style="min-width:12em; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)|'''Eastern Cicada Killer
|-
| [[File:Red Velvet Ant.jpg | [https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/red-velvet-ant-or-cow-killer/ Red Velvet Ant]]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Kingdom:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Animals|Animalia]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Phylum:
|style="min-width:6em; |Arthropoda
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Class:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Insects | Insecta]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Order:
|style="min-width:6em; |[[Hymenoptera]]
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Family:
|style="min-width:6em; |Mutillidae
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Genus:
|style="min-width:6em; |Dasymutilla
|-
!style="min-width:6em; |Species:
|style="min-width:6em; |Dasymutilla occidentalis
|-
|}

== Description ==

Red Velvet Ants are in the Multillidae family, which holds 7000 different species of velvet ants. Despite their name and appearance, Red Velvet Ants are actually a species of wasp. Like most wasp species, they are solitary and do not form larger hives. These wasps get their name from their short, red and black, velvety hairs covering their body<ref name= "[[Arthropod]] Museum">“Arthropod Museum, Dept. of Entomology, University of Arkansas,” May 26, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120526173101/http://www.uark.edu/ua/arthmuse/cowkil.html.</ref>. On top of their aposematic coloration, females can also produce a squeaking sound to warn off predators. Red velvet Ants are the largest of the velvet ant species, measuring about 3/4 of an inch in length. Females are wingless while males have dark, translucent wings. The females' wingless appearance and the way they move across the ground is why these insects are mistaken as ants. Females also possess a stinger, while males do not. These wasps are also known as "Cow Killers" due to their quite powerful and painful sting.
[[File:Velvet-Ant-Adult-Female.jpg|frame|left|[https://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/biological-control-information-center/beneficial-parasitoids/velvet-ant/ Female Red Velvet Ant]]]

== Habitat and Range ==
Red Velvet Ants are native to North America. Their main range is the eastern United States. In the north, the range is Connecticut to Missouri, while in the south it's Florida to Texas<ref name= "iNaturalist">iNaturalist. “Red Velvet Ant (GTM Research Reserve Arthropod Guide) · iNaturalist.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/278784.</ref>. They are often found in open, dry, and sandy areas with a lot of sun<ref name= "Cow Killer">“Red Velvet Ant or ‘Cow Killer,’” September 2, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110902230354/http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg344.html.</ref><ref name= "Missouri Department">Missouri Department of Conservation. “Velvet Ants.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/velvet-ants.</ref>. Red velvet Ants are parasites and rely on host species for their reproduction style. Because of this they tend to be found in the same areas where ground nesting wasps and bees can live<ref name= "Missouri Department">Missouri Department of Conservation. “Velvet Ants.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/velvet-ants.</ref>.
[[File:Red velvet Ant Range.png|frame|center|wrap| [https://bugguide.net/node/view/13126/data US Range of Red Velvet Ants]]]

== Behavior and Life Cycle ==
[[File:Cow-killer.jpg | thumb|right | [https://arthropod.uark.edu/red-velvet-ant-cow-killer/ "Cow Killer" Red Velvet Ant]]]
Red Velvet Ants are solitary and do not form eusocial hives like hornets do. They are diurnal and rest during the night. Adults feed on nectar from plants, while their young are strictly parasitic. They are generally non aggressive and will not attack other species outside of their reproductive cycle. The only time a Red Velvet Ant comes into contact with one another is to mate<ref name= "Smith">Smith, Caleb. “Dasymutilla Occidentalis.” Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dasymutilla_occidentalis/.</ref>.

They begin reproducing in the warmer months of the year. Females tend to be seen scurrying across open fields while males fly in the air in search of a mate. Once males locate a female through pheromones or hearing females squeaking, they pick the female up with their mandibles and fly away. The males will then find a spot deemed safe to mate, typically in a shaded area and away from other competitors. Once the process is over, the female will then begin to look for suitable hosts to lay their eggs. Red Velvet Ants prey on numerous different species of ground bees and wasps. The most common host they use are wasps of Crabronidae such as [[Eastern Cicada Killers]] and Horse Guard Wasps. Once they locate the ground nest of a host, they will lay a single egg in one of the nests chambers and then leave. It is believed that these wasps mate only once in their lifetime<ref name= "Smith">Smith, Caleb. “Dasymutilla Occidentalis.” Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dasymutilla_occidentalis/.</ref>.

Roughly 3 days after being laid, the egg will hatch. The Red Velvet Ant larvae will then begin to eat the larvae or pupae of the host species. It will feed until it is ready to enter its pupal stage. The pupal stage typically takes around 20 days to complete, however the pupae will stay inside the nest chamber to overwinter if temperatures are not warm enough. Once ambient temperatures begin to rise after winter, they begin to emerge and look for mates. Most individuals emerge typically in July or August, however those that overwinter will emerge earlier in spring<ref name= "Smith">Smith, Caleb. “Dasymutilla Occidentalis.” Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dasymutilla_occidentalis/.</ref>.

== Defenses ==
The Red Velvet Ant has a number of defenses in order to protect itself. Its most apparent defense is its aposematic coloration. Its bright red hairs contrasted with the dark black makes the Red Velvet ant a striking insect to look at. Their aposematic coloration is even more significant for the Red velvet Ant when looking at all the species of North American Multillidae (Velvet Ants). These Velvet Ants have complex Mullerian mimicry rings seen in the natural world. Mullerian mimicry refers to when two well-defended species have come to mimic each other's honest warning signals. The Velvet Ants of North America can be divided into 8 unique rings of mimicry that are tied to their location<ref name= "Wilson">Wilson, Joseph S., Kevin A. Williams, Matthew L. Forister, Carol D. von Dohlen, and James P. Pitts. “Repeated Evolution in Overlapping Mimicry Rings among North American Velvet Ants.” Nature Communications 3, no. 1 (December 11, 2012): 1272. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2275.</ref>. Velvet Ants in the east such as the Red Velvet Ant have similar, fiery coloration. However, tropical Velvet Ants found in Central America are black and yellow, similar to other wasps and bees. Desert Velvet Ants are more white in appearance, and the populations in texas only have coloration on their thorax. When studying all 21 genera of Velvet Ant in North America, only 15 of the 351 species found did not fit into one of the eight mimicry ring<ref name= "Wilson">Wilson, Joseph S., Kevin A. Williams, Matthew L. Forister, Carol D. von Dohlen, and James P. Pitts. “Repeated Evolution in Overlapping Mimicry Rings among North American Velvet Ants.” Nature Communications 3, no. 1 (December 11, 2012): 1272. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2275.</ref>s. This system of mimicry helps each species in its own unique environment be seen as not an easy prey item.

Female Red Velvet Ants main defense method outside of coloration is to run away, and when cornered they will even begin to make noises<ref name= "Missouri Department">Missouri Department of Conservation. “Velvet Ants.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/velvet-ants.</ref>. Their last line of defense is their incredibly long ovipositor which can act as a stinger to inject venom. Velvet Ant venom is noted to be 25 times less toxic than a honeybee, but far more painful. The sting is non-life threatening, however the pain is very intense and can last for sometimes 30 minutes. They are unlikely to use their stinger unless provoked to do so. This is due to the stinger's main function as the Red Velvet Ants ovipositor, making it not worth the risk of using. Eusocial bees and wasps rely on a queen for reproduction, allowing for free use of their stingers and much higher forms of aggression suitable for their species. Red velvet Ants also have a remarkably tough and thick exoskeleton, making them quite sturdy as well.

[[File:Dasymutilla-occidentalis-velvet-ant-stinger.jpeg | frame | left|[https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/velvet-ants-flamboyant-and-fuzzy-with-extreme-ppe.html Red Velvet Ant Stinger ]]] [[File:Velvet Ant Mullerian Mimicry.jpeg| frame | right|[https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2275 North American Velvet Ant Mimicry Rings]]]

== References ==
<ref name= "[[Arthropod]] Museum">“Arthropod Museum, Dept. of Entomology, University of Arkansas,” May 26, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120526173101/http://www.uark.edu/ua/arthmuse/cowkil.html.</ref>
<ref name= "Texas [[Insects]]">Field Guide to Common Texas Insects. “Red Velvet Ant or ‘Cow Killer.’” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/red-velvet-ant-or-cow-killer/.</ref>
<ref name= "iNaturalist">iNaturalist. “Red Velvet Ant (GTM Research Reserve Arthropod Guide) · iNaturalist.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/278784.</ref>
<ref name= "Missouri Department">Missouri Department of Conservation. “Velvet Ants.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/velvet-ants.</ref>
<ref name= "Red Velvet">“Red Velvet Ant; Cow Killer | Arthropod Museum.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://arthropod.uark.edu/red-velvet-ant-cow-killer/.</ref>
<ref name= "Cow Killer">“Red Velvet Ant or ‘Cow Killer,’” September 2, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110902230354/http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg344.html.</ref>
<ref name= "Smith">Smith, Caleb. “Dasymutilla Occidentalis.” Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dasymutilla_occidentalis/.</ref>
<ref name= "Dasymutilla Occidentalis">“Species Dasymutilla Occidentalis - Common Eastern Velvet Ant.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://bugguide.net/node/view/13126/data.</ref>
<ref name= "Velvet Ant.">“Velvet Ant.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/biological-control-information-center/beneficial-parasitoids/velvet-ant/.</ref>
<ref name= "Flamboyant">“Velvet Ants: Flamboyant and Fuzzy with Extreme PPE | Natural History Museum.” Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/velvet-ants-flamboyant-and-fuzzy-with-extreme-ppe.html.</ref>
<ref name= "Wilson">Wilson, Joseph S., Kevin A. Williams, Matthew L. Forister, Carol D. von Dohlen, and James P. Pitts. “Repeated Evolution in Overlapping Mimicry Rings among North American Velvet Ants.” Nature Communications 3, no. 1 (December 11, 2012): 1272. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2275.</ref>