Bovine Homicide - A032

A032
Cow Killer
Dasymutilla occidentalis
Category: Wasps and Kin
Family: Mutillidae

It may look like a furry and colorful ant, but watch out, the this velvet ant-like creature belongs to the Mutillidae family, which makes it wasp. Though females in this family lacks wings, you don't want to get on their bad side, they've earned their name for having a sting so painful, it has been exaggeratedly described as powerful enough to kill a cow, earning them the name: Cow Killer Ants. Female Cow Killers are very distinct, with furry bodies, an elongated thorax, and a bright orange or red color. Males are very different, lacking a stinger, but equipped with wings, and featuring a very different body shape (See below). 

Like many wasps, Cow Killers are parasitic; females will deposit an egg in the nests of bumble bees and the wasp larva will kill and feast upon the hive's growing larvae. However, when they mature, they will eventually resort to surviving on nectar. These wasps can be found all along the east coast, from Connecticut all the way down to florida, and as far west as Missouri or Texas. While their habitat is typically in wooded areas or meadows, they can also be found in more arid and dry climates, such as deserts. If you want to know more about the Cow Killer Ant, BugGuide has more details.

This specimen was collected in Little Sahara, Oklahoma on June 9, 2012 by E. Brooks.   

Male Cow Killer Wasp Photo: University of Minnesota