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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) » Mutillinae » Trogaspidiini » Timulla » Timulla vagans
Photo#1618550
black and red wasp - Timulla vagans
Copyright © 2018 Larry Reis

black and red wasp - Timulla vagans
Decorah Prairie, Winneshiek County, Iowa, USA
July 5, 2018
Size: 15 mm
Try as I might, I couldn't find a good match for this distinctive wasp. I thought maybe a scoliid wasp, but the abdomen seemed too furry, so maybe a female in the genus Astata? This one was looking at a stink bug.

Images of this individual: tag all
black and red wasp - Timulla vagans black and red wasp - Timulla vagans black and red wasp - Timulla vagans black and red wasp - Timulla vagans
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Contributed by Larry Reis on 8 December, 2018 - 10:20pm
Last updated 23 March, 2019 - 10:37am

Moved
Moved from Velvet Ants.
… George Waldren, 23 March, 2019 - 10:37am login or register to post comments

 
possible male T. vagans
Hi all. George, if you have a chance, would you take a look at this one?



It looks consistent with the description and the key, as far as I can follow it, for male T. vagans (1).

Many thanks!
… Cotinis, 22 July, 2020 - 2:05pm login or register to post comments

 
Timulla vagans
Thanks so much for taking this lovely male velvet ant down to species, George! I was very surprised when Ken identified it as a velvet ant, since I always thought the velvet ants were typically found in desert habitats. I will have to do some reading up on them to learn more.
… Larry Reis, 23 March, 2019 - 7:01pm login or register to post comments

 
I'm happy to help with the ID
Velvet ants occur throughout the US, although they are most species-rich in the southern portions of Texas, Arizona, and California. Timulla vagans is one of the most widespread Nearctic mutillid species, ranging from throughout the eastern US and northwest to British Columbia.
… George Waldren, 24 March, 2019 - 2:42am login or register to post comments

 
Timulla vagans
Thanks for information about the distribution of T. vagans, George! Maybe that's how it got the Latin name, since it evidently likes to wander!
… Larry Reis, 24 March, 2019 - 6:18pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 8 December, 2018 - 11:20pm login or register to post comments

 
Velvet ant
Thanks for helping me with your expertise here, Ken! I'm amazed, since I never would have thought this "wasp" was a type of ant.
… Larry Reis, 9 December, 2018 - 9:00am login or register to post comments

 
Actually...
...Velvet Ants are wasps. :)

All of the "true" ants are in the family Formicidae.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 9 December, 2018 - 11:02am login or register to post comments

 
velvet ants are wasps
Thanks for correcting me, Ken! I see that now - so this must be a male since it has wings.
… Larry Reis, 9 December, 2018 - 11:07am login or register to post comments

 
Yep
:)
… Ken Wolgemuth, 9 December, 2018 - 11:08am login or register to post comments

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