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🐝 Ants, Bees & Wasps

Velvet Ant

Dasymutilla occidentalis

About

Not actually an ant but a wasp. Females are wingless and covered in dense, colorful hair. Known as "cow killers" for their extremely painful sting. Parasitize ground-nesting bees.

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Did You Know?

Velvet ants have been called the most indestructible insects β€” their exoskeleton is so tough that entomological pins bend when trying to pierce them.