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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)
Photo#326881
Velvet Ants same species? - male - female
Copyright © 2009 dhilkey

Velvet Ants same species? - Male Female
Bitterbrush SWA, Moffat County, Colorado, USA
August 28, 2009
There were several of these velvet ants on Rocky Mountain Beeplant. In trying to id these using the guide it states the male is larger than the female. Are these then different species? The male is obviously smaller than the female, though actually not as much difference as it looks like in this photo. I did not see mating but twice I saw the male land on or near the female.
Thanks for any information.
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Contributed by dhilkey on 30 August, 2009 - 11:35am
Last updated 30 August, 2009 - 2:14pm

Superb photo!
I love this image... I wish I could witness a scene like this for myself!
… Harsi S. Parker, 28 September, 2009 - 12:13pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… margarethe brummermann, 30 August, 2009 - 2:14pm login or register to post comments

not conspecific
The male looks like Pseudomethoca propinqua, while the female is Dasymutilla creusa. It is always exciting to see different species in close proximity to eachother, usually nectar sources are the only place to find this.
… Kevin Williams, 30 August, 2009 - 12:44pm login or register to post comments

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