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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Spider Wasps, Velvet Ants and allies (Pompiloidea) » Velvet Ants (Mutillidae) » Sphaeropthalminae » Dasymutillini » Dasymutilla » Thistledown Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla gloriosa)
Photo#133765
Thistledown Velvet Ant - Dasymutilla gloriosa - male
Copyright © 2007 Rob Klotz

Thistledown Velvet Ant - Dasymutilla gloriosa - Male
Fort Thomas, Graham County, Arizona, USA
July 27, 2007
I found a swarm of about 30 males flying around a dune (near the Gila River) where 5 females were running about on the ground. I never realized that this species was sexually dimorphic!
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Contributed by Rob Klotz on 4 August, 2007 - 10:27am
Last updated 22 October, 2010 - 4:23pm

Very nice
Are the males as quick, twitchy, and hard to photograph as the females?
… Ron Hemberger, 4 August, 2007 - 8:20pm login or register to post comments

 
Twitchy
You bet Ron, just like the females only with wings. It was hard to get close for a photo without them flying off.
… Rob Klotz, 5 August, 2007 - 9:25pm login or register to post comments

 
Not sure it is gloriosa.
I'm not sure this is the male of D. gloriosa. How did you come by the species ID? Aside, if you'd ever like a field companion, please look me up. Thank you.
… Eric R. Eaton, 6 August, 2007 - 6:15pm login or register to post comments

 
It is possible...
This species looks like all the other D. gloriosa males I have seen before, but at least 2 other Dasymutilla species look very similar to this in the same range. Dasymutilla gloriosa is the most commonly seen species in the area by far, however, and if the males were near D. gloriosa females, I think your ID is correct.
… Kevin Williams, 18 September, 2007 - 1:29pm login or register to post comments

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