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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Cimicomorpha » Assassin Bugs (Reduviidae) » Harpactorinae » Harpactorini » Wheel Bugs (Arilus) » North American Wheel Bug (Arilus cristatus) » Eggs and Hatchlings (Arilus cristatus Eggs and Hatchlings)
Photo#404107
ants, nest and juveniles on Rainier cherry tree - Arilus cristatus
Copyright © 2010 unhinged17

ants, nest and juveniles on Rainier cherry tree - Arilus cristatus
Parkton, Baltimore County, Maryland, USA
June 1, 2010
Size: adults are 1cm (0.5 inch)
These ants have black bodies with red venomous-looking tails, and are agitated when a threat appears, surrounding the egg mass and pointing their tails and antenna up toward the threat. They are very spiderlike, but definitely appear to be ants. Thanks!

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ants, nest and juveniles on Rainier cherry tree - Arilus cristatus ants, nest and juveniles on Rainier cherry tree - Arilus cristatus
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Contributed by unhinged17 on 2 June, 2010 - 10:16am
Last updated 19 June, 2010 - 10:52pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 19 June, 2010 - 10:52pm login or register to post comments

Not ants
They're the nymphs of a Wheel Bug--a kind of Assassin Bug. When they grow up, they'll look like this:



Welcome to BugGuide!
… Ken Wolgemuth, 2 June, 2010 - 10:20am login or register to post comments

 
wheel bugs not ants
Wow! Thanks for your help. They look kinda vicious - can they sting with those red tails?

Thanks again!

Jason
Parkton, MD
… unhinged17, 2 June, 2010 - 10:44am login or register to post comments

 
Red tails ...
They cannot sting with their "tails" - they can, however, deliver a painful bite - especially as adults. They are very active predators - very beneficial to have around. I have two broods that hatched out on my property this year, they are patrolling my Black Walnut tree and my sunflowers.
… T. Gilliam, 2 June, 2010 - 10:48am login or register to post comments

These are ...
Wheel Bug (Arilus cristatus) Nymphs

A type of assassin bug.
… T. Gilliam, 2 June, 2010 - 10:19am login or register to post comments

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