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BugGuide Gathering
Pack Forest
Washington State
July 10-12, 2009
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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Ants, Stinging Wasps, and Hornets (Vespoidea) » Velvet Ants (Mutillidae) » Dasymutilla » Cow Killer (Dasymutilla occidentalis)
Photo#308080
Cow Killer/ Red Velvet Ant - Dasymutilla occidentalis - Is this possible in Western Kansas - Dasymutilla occidentalis - female
Copyright © 2009 jfitz

Cow Killer/ Red Velvet Ant - Dasymutilla occidentalis - Is this possible in Western Kansas - Dasymutilla occidentalis - Female
Ness City, Ness County, Kansas, USA
July 21, 2009
Size: A bit larger than a penny
There are no bumblebees in the area that I know of, but we do have cicadas. I don't believe I have seen the male version of this insect. How many are usually found together? I've only seen 2.
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Contributed by jfitz on 21 July, 2009 - 9:45pm
Last updated 30 August, 2009 - 1:04pm

I have tried to improve the picture
so at least it fills the frame. Please submit them in a larger version yourself next time
… margarethe brummermann, 30 August, 2009 - 1:05pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request. First image from KS in Bug Guide. Is there a way for you to upload an image that fills the frame? If I understand this correctly, this is an adult female (?), so I changed the gender accordingly.
… Ken Schneider, 19 August, 2009 - 12:54pm login or register to post comments

I agree with species, D. occidentalis
The males of D. occidentalis are around the same size and fly, you'll know one when you see it. Males fly around in search of females to mate with. If you see a female with her metasoma (abdomen) raised, she's likely waiting for a mate to find her (likely through pheromones), and mutillids apparently only mate once.

This species is apparently one of the commonest, but I don't encounter it that often either.
… George Waldren, 22 July, 2009 - 12:14am login or register to post comments

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