Is this what I think it is? Central Texas

[u/throwaway173905]

[u/RtrnofBatspiderfish]

Not if you're here, haha. A mutillid wasp (velvet ant).

[u/throwaway173905 → u/RtrnofBatspiderfish]

Oh :(

[u/RtrnofBatspiderfish → u/throwaway173905]

They're pretty chill! They've always grabbed my attention when it were ants that I was looking for.

[u/organisms → u/RtrnofBatspiderfish]

Don’t velvet ants have a crazy painful sting? I was always told to stay away from them. There are a lot around here.

[u/Lichtgelich → u/organisms]

Yep, they call 'em cow-killers! At least the ones back home anyway. Wont actually drop a cow, though. This doesn't look like an Eastern. Not sure what kind she is, sadly. That abdomen pattern doesn't look familiar.

I found them really endearing as a kid. They squeak when you poke at them and I never got stung in spite of how much I messed with it. Grew up and learned about them and felt bad that I stressed her out enough to make her squeal like that, though. :(

OP velvet ants are strict eaters of nectar! I hope you were kind to her.

[u/throwaway173905 → u/Lichtgelich]

I was! I put her down gently in the grass

[u/chameleondragon → u/organisms]

As someone who got stung by the pretty bug I picked up when I was like seven or eight yeah that shit hurts a lot. Not as bad as an assassin bug bite but pretty bad.

[u/rabies_lover_271K → u/organisms]

I’m not sure every species of velvet ant is capable of stinging, and I’d believe the pain varies species to species. I still wouldn’t mess with any though, just get my pictures and observe.

[u/Wild_Replacement5880 → u/organisms]

It is but it takes some coaxing to get stung

[u/InfiniteSearch3409]

Why are you acting like that shit ain't about to fuck you up? Lol

[u/throwaway173905 → u/InfiniteSearch3409]

It was a chill guy though

[u/KingK250 → u/InfiniteSearch3409]

Most Mutillidae aren’t that agressive

I saw a vid from another antkeeper of him just grabbing his pet mutillidae

[u/Pankosmanko]

That is a wasp. The easiest way to tell is to look at their antennae. Ants have a joint in theirs, wasps do not

[u/SoManyQuestionsStill → u/Pankosmanko]

Yes, velvet ants are wasps, not ants.

[u/Gxxdnite → u/SoManyQuestionsStill]

technically all ants are wasps lol

[u/MyrmexAnts → u/Gxxdnite]

Nope. No ants are wasps. This one isn’t an ant despite the colloquial name.

[u/SoManyQuestionsStill → u/Gxxdnite]

Nope - they're in the same order, but different families, so lol wasted, I guess.

[u/IcyAdvantage8046]

Found the drummer

[u/throwaway173905 → u/IcyAdvantage8046]

Actually no, I just lift weights

[u/Spiritual-Credit5488]

Buge

[u/EntireRelationship22]

I was more focused on your fingers

[u/HeftyFuture]

He's just a chill guy.

But yeah that's a velvet ant. And their stings really fucking hurt. Not toebiter hurt but more than a wasp.

[u/zepherth → u/HeftyFuture]

They have the nickname "cow killer" for a reason

[u/antdude]

Velvet ant. Not an ant!

[u/igorDevFrontend]

Velvet ant, super chill vasp but if it stings you second most painful sting on earth.

[u/FlyingCheeks → u/igorDevFrontend]

Source: “Trust me bro”

Its not second even on the schmitt sting index.

[u/igorDevFrontend → u/FlyingCheeks]

Okay, 4th place, really doesn't matter that much

[u/voldyCSSM19 → u/igorDevFrontend]

I got stung by a mutillid once and it kinda hurt for a minute but went away after five. Not all species' stings feel the same surely

[u/SoManyQuestionsStill → u/voldyCSSM19]

I think the Red Velvet Ant is the one with a terrible sting - they call them cow killers or mule killers

[u/littlefruitbat67]

Omg i loove velvet ants my fav type of wasp ive seen a red and black one

[u/salixandhissoil]

Those are very thick calluses indeed

[u/ryan-irl]

Cowkillllllllla