Found this in my backyard earlier today. - Dasymutilla occidentalis - BugGuide.Net

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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 » Common Eastern Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla occidentalis)

Photo#314100

Copyright © 2009 malap

Found this in my backyard earlier today. - Dasymutilla occidentalis -

Cumming, Forsyth County, Georgia, USA
August 2, 2009
Size: ~1 inch

I noticed that it emits a noise when it seems to be irritated.
I have lived for 5+ years in Georgia and never saw this insect before.

Images of this individual: tag all

Found this in my backyard earlier today. - Dasymutilla occidentalis - female

Found this in my backyard earlier today. - Dasymutilla occidentalis - female

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Contributed by malap on 2 August, 2009 - 6:18pm
Last updated 29 August, 2021 - 5:20pm

july 25 2011- red and black fuzzy ant?

Saw this insect on my back porch handrail today. It makes a squeaky sound after I put it into a jar. I think it's a little ticked off at me! Is this insect dangerous? A wasp? Does it sting like a wasp or worse? I don't like the idea that it's a "cow Killer" and it's on my handrail! First time I've seen one in Alabama and I've lived here since 1995. Is it rare or common? What does it want? Is it a good guy or bad guy? Should I leave it alone or kill it? I'm keeping it in a jar for now. What do I feed it?

… Karla Thomas, 27 July, 2011 - 11:39am

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Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Ken Schneider, 1 September, 2009 - 3:46pm

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Velvet Ant

this can be found in Outdoor Alabama Magazine . We see them quite often camping. The pic is of the un-winged female. The male looks similar except he has wings and is considered a wasp.

… 7gr8kidz, 2 August, 2009 - 10:00pm

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Dasymutilla occidentalis!

Eastern cow killer/red velvet ant

… Breanna Lyle, 2 August, 2009 - 7:03pm

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Nice images.

those things usually scurry around so much I can't get a good shot.

… Keith Roragen, 2 August, 2009 - 6:36pm

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cow killer

… roar, 2 August, 2009 - 6:21pm

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