What are Velvet Ants?
Velvet ants are a fascinating group of insects that have been around for over 100 million years. They can be found in the tropics and temperate regions worldwide, but they are most commonly spotted in North America. Velvet ants get their name from their velvety black exoskeletons and their tendency to stay hidden when they feel threatened. Although these pests don’t cause any significant economic or environmental damage, they do sting people who try to pick them up!
In this blog post, we’ll explore what velvet ants look like, where you’re likely to find them, and how best to treat an encounter with one of these bugs!
You can also explore other group of insects like carpenter ants, and see how to get rid of them
What Does it Look Like?
The name velvet ant is a result of the actual appearance of the insect. These ants are covered in a velvety coat of hair which has a slippery feel to it. They have long, slender antennae and a slender waist. The colors of their exoskeleton tend to be a brown-black color with a faint blue or green hue.
These ants range from one inch to three inches in size. The species also have various hairs on the abdomen, making them look much smaller than they walk bipedally. The fact that they have wings does not change their color scheme because they are usually transparent with occasional brown shading. These ants regularly shed legs and antennae, this occurs much less than other insects.
The velvet ant undergoes metamorphosis with a white egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. These sparkling ants are found throughout the southeastern United States in wooded areas.
Velvet ants do not make a nest but dwell in abandoned rodent burrows or under rocks. They can also be found at the base of plants such as roses and blackberry bushes or under loose bark. The females look like giant wingless wasps. They are usually black with orange or red areas on the abdomen and thorax, while males can be entirely black or black with orange markings.
Velvet ants, also known as cow killer ants, are insects in the family Mutillidae. Velvet ants are also called cow killers because there is a myth that they were so-called due to their habit of killing cows by stinging them on their udders. Other accounts blame them for killing horses and sheep, but these stories may refer to different types of wasps.
What are the Behavior of Velvet Ants?
Velvet ants are one of the most aggressive species on the planet. During their life cycle, they exhibit many different behaviors that can be witnessed by humans, like feeding behaviors, grooming, territorial defense, and more. Their defensive behaviors are similar to those of other stinging insects, but this is the first time an insect has been found with a weaponized scent.
Velvet ants are similar in many ways to other stinging insects, but their weaponized scent is one feature that makes them unique. Their weaponized scent has no venom, so it can be applied more efficiently. In addition, it contains nitro compounds which are used for self-defense against predators and sometimes even other velvet ants.
Their defensive behavior begins when they release their chemical weapons, which they store in their abdomens. They do this by rupturing abdominal vesicles that contain chemicals like 4-methyl octanoic acid. The wasps’ pheromones are known for their offensive capabilities as well as their defensive ones. They release this chemical weapon when they feel threatened. This is a sign to stay away from velvet ants because their “odor is like that of decaying carcasses.”
Velvet ants also possess a powerful sting. Even though they do not have large stingers as honey bees or bumblebees do, Velvet ants can penetrate human skin with the tip of their smaller stinger and inject venom.
How Painful are Velvet Ants Sting
A velvet ant sting is sharp and painful. The pain will usually last for a few hours after the sting, but it will eventually disappear. The pain can be reduced by applying a cold compress or ice pack.
Furthermore, it may cause redness and swell around the area of the sting. If it is a severe reaction, swelling of the lips, tongue, eyes, and face might also occur. Seek medical attention immediately for any life-threatening reactions, which include wheezing, shortness of breath, and hives.
A velvet ant is an insect in the wasp family. It is also known as a cow killer or bull ant and is usually between one and 1.5 inches long. The velvet ant has powerful jaws for chewing that may inflict defensive bites when they feel threatened. In addition, they can sting multiple times, which makes their stings particularly dangerous. The sting feels like a bee sting at first, but it becomes much more painful as the venom takes effect. In addition to pain and swelling, velvet ant sting symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, and confusion.
The velvet ant sting can be treated in much the same way as a bee sting. If there is no known severe reaction to stings and less than two inches of swelling around the sting, treatment may not be necessary. However, if the pain does not go away or keeps getting worse, or is accompanied by vomiting or nausea, seek medical attention immediately.
The first and most important treatment for any sting is to remove the stinger as soon as possible. Even after a person has been stung, they should continue to seek medical attention if they begin exhibiting severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis symptoms.
How to Get Rid of the Velvet Ant
Velvet ants are quite a nuisance. These insects also cause allergies to those who come in contact with them. The best ways to get rid of velvet are the following.
Using Insecticides for Velvet Ant Control - Methods
Using Aerosols.
Place the nozzle of the aerosol can at a distance of at least 12 inches from the surface that you want to be sprayed. Then start spraying in an upward and lateral direction while moving slowly across the surface concerned.
Using Pump Sprayers.
Fill the tank with the pesticide and insert a thin hose into it. Now, attach a spray nozzle to this hose and take your pump sprayer to a place where you think the ants might be present. Start pumping and spraying the pesticide products in a circular action while moving slowly across the surface, requiring treatment.
Using Hand Duster Insect Sprayers.
Before using this, ensure that the product label allows for such usage. Place the nozzle of the sprayer 2-12 inches above the surface and start pressing. Move across the surface until it is complete and then move on to another one.
Using an Insect Fogger
These are aerosol-type bombs that produce a fog that will settle down all over your house or office premises killing every insect present there, including velvet ants.
Physical Method – Eradicating Velvet Ant Nests
The insects should be dealt with at the source. All you need to do is find out where they are coming from and deal with the nest located near there.
Use a spoon and start scraping at their nests. Clean any residue using water or soapy water so that it does not pose a threat to you later on.
Velvet Ants are an invasive species that can be hard to get rid of. However, with the correct information and dedication, you can make your lawn or garden ant-free again. If you’re looking for a variety of ways to kill velvet ants yourself, we’ve got all the advice you need in this article on how to get rid of Velvet Ants! or you can call pest control in Nashville