General: Velvet Ants (Dasymutilla spp.) are hairy, ant-like creatures that are actually wasps. Females are colorful, hairy, flightless, and run quickly on the ground. In contrast, males have wings and fly, but look more like regular ants.

There are many species of velvet ants around Las Vegas. They come with differing amounts of black and orange, and even white, and they can be hard to identify to species.

Velvet ants are not aggressive and will try to escape if chased, but if caught, females can pack one heck of a sting that is said to be the worst of any stinging insect in the desert. Females can produce a squeaking sound when disturbed, but I have never heard it.

Taxonomy: Class Insecta, Order Hymenoptera, Suborder Apocrita, Super Family Vespoidea, Family Mutillidae

Adults feed on nectar. The immature stages are parasites, mostly of ground-nesting bees and wasps. Velvet ants prefer sandy soils where their prey is likely to be found.

There are some 400 species of velvet ants in the southwestern deserts. Most are nocturnal, but a few species (such as those on this page) are seen during the day.