Red Velvet Ant or "Cow Killer" Yeooww!!

[Dargo]

Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

Since a rather unpleasant encounter of such beast, I thought I'd post a pic so if you see one, and you can make sure that you stomp the thing and make sure it doesn't get you, your pet, or your family.

This insect is incredibly tough and takes a hard stomp with a hard soled shoe on hard ground to kill. Just before I left on a business trip earlier this week, the real "Dargo" and my wife had a most unpleasant encounter with the Red Velvet Ant, or Cow Killer. The sting was painful enough to set a full grown German Shepherd Dog into a yelping frenzy, and to put my wife in so much pain that she stated that it felt like someone had cut her finger off.

If you run across one of these, I'd try to eliminate them if possible. From what I've been able to read, they are certainly one bad bug! They crawl into ground bee hives and lay their eggs on the larva. They are unafraid of the ground bees because their shell is so strong that they are not harmed by any sting! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif The articles say that this bug does no harm and that there is no good chemical way to eliminate them. "No harm"?! Whoever wrote that has never been stung by one!

I just thought I'd post this so you know what it is if you see it, and avoid it or stomp it with a good hard shoe or boot. You will never kill one by stomping on it with bare feet, and you will certainly regret the attempt!! These things are fairly large and unmistakable. Watch out for them.

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

We call them Cow Ants down here. I saw one yesterday, it was fire engine red and in a hurry to get somewhere. I left it alone because I didn't want to get off the tractor. They always seem to travel alone. Can't recall ever seeing more than one at a time. Never known anyone to get bit by one till now. I've heard its pretty painful. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[johnday]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

Brent; How big are these things? Do you know what thier range may be? I avoid bugs whenever I can, must be the girlyman side of me. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif How about popping them with a .22? It would at least be fun trying to. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hope Mrs. Daego is all right. Is there some sort of antivenin for some kind of medication? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Dargo]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Never known anyone to get bit by one till now. I've heard its pretty painful. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif )</font>

Painful. Yes. From what I've read, they got the name of Cow Killer because their sting is so painful that urban legend has it that the sting of one can kill a cow! Even if it is only a legend, I think you get the idea about the pain inflicted by the sting of one.

 

[hobbyfarm]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

This thing sounds like a handful!
Here's a little more info:

<font color="red">Red Velvet Ant or "Cow Killer"</font>

<font color="green">more info</font>

<font color="blue">More</font>

 

[Dargo]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

Thanks for the links. I love this quote from one of the links:

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Velvet ants are also known as cow killers or mule killers because of their extremely painful sting. Like all wasps, they can sting multiple times. Because of their armor-like exoskeleton and painful sting, few if any animals consume this conspicuous wasp.)</font>

That goes along with another site I saw that stated that they have "no natural preditors to fear" and that if you ever hear one squeaking, flee. Oh well, I think I've just become one of their natural preditors! The lovely Mrs. Dargo has given me very clear instructions that she rather strongly prefers to never be stung by one again.

 

[sassafraspete]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

Dargo.... I've never seen one of those critters around here, not to say they aren't around these parts. What is their range....eg you may just be on the northern fringe of their range if just now starting to see them....

pete

 

[Dozernut]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

We have them around here, they are quite common. Think of a Baldface Hornet without wings and you get an idea how mean these things are.

 

[hobbyfarm]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( if you ever hear one squeaking, flee. Oh well, I think I've just become one of their natural preditors! )</font>

Dargo,
You know, if you just decide to add them to your diet, /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif you won't be able to find them anywhere! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Cowboyjg]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

Boy ..You just aren't having any luck. First it's human pests now it's the real thing. Do you suppose you can export these things to your other property as a defense against the ATV'ers and the like... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[DannyD]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

Baldface Hornet >>>>> Been there done them, OUCH! Wasp killer did in the whole hive, but they got me first.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

Hmmmmmmm, I 've been around these monsters my whole life and never knew they stung. I knew them as wingless wasps and assumed they like all wasps are predators and therefore a necessary part of my world.

However, I did put three cans of wasp spray into a trailer full of aluminum beams because of ground bumble bees this week. They didn't bother me but then I didn't bother the trailer. I was worried about someone bumping the trailer and getting hit though.

So from my perspective an occasional lone wingless wasp wearing a bright red coat is much easier to live with than a hive of bumble bees hidden in a bush or ground.

 

[Richard]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

I disabled one once with my shoe or a hammer or something /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

I picked it up with a pair of 6" long tweezers to get a closer look at it.

Then I noticed the LONG stinger sliding out of its backside. I didn't measure it but I swear, it looked like it was about 1/2" long. It seemed to easily be the same length of the back section of the little booger.

The shear length of the stinger got me respecting it even more (I'd already done some research on it and knew to be aware... VERY aware....)

 

[Chuck52]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

I see about one per year on my patio. Last year the grandkids spotted one and got interested due to it's pretty color. I told them it stings and they left it alone. Both of them, four and five this month, have been stung by bees because they live in the country, and they already know they don't much like the feeling.

Chuck

 

[Dargo]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

Fortunately I've not had any of my kids stung, but judging from the reaction from my wife and from Dargo, the things must carry a huge wallop! After several hard slams with a shoe, I broke one in half. While the front half crawled away, I also saw that huge needle of a stinger on it's butt. My wife will swear that it carries a scalpel and tries to do surgery without the aid of anesthesia. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Although I haven't been stung (and don't plan on it), the warning here was really more for kids and curious dogs or cats. My dog is a real goober and eats wasps and yellow jackets all the time. The moron has been stung in the mouth countless times, but still goes after the things with a vengence. However, after one sting from the Cow Killer, he won't have anything to do with them at all. I still can't believe how hard their shell is! If you don't believe me, try to stomp one with your bare heel. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I'm not brave enough to try, but I'd bet you can't kill one that way.

 

[diverdog]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

I picked one of these up the other day and started searching about them. I saw females in Kansas, and now have seen a male and female in Tennessee. It immediately tried to sting, but I knew better than to pick it up without my work gloves on. So if you want a good show, have a good pair of leather gloves, and are a little brave/crazy, pick one up. The one I saw was about 1" long with a 3/8" stinger.

 

[sassafraspete]

Re: Red Velvet Ant or \"Cow Killer\" Yeooww!!

I forgot about my daughter's extensive insect collection that she put together while in 4-H a few yrs back. I got to looking, and sure enough, there was a cow killer. All of her insects were collected around home, so I guess we do have them around here...just something I don't remember seeing actually. This brought back memories though.... I can remember taking the lantern and a sheet out in the woods at night. We would stretch the sheet up between 2 trees and put the lantern behind it...awaiting for moths or what ever. Seems like specifically we were on a mission to find a luna moth. We were always doing crazy stuff like that. You gotta love kids. Somehow they make you take time to look at things you pass over ordinarily in every day life.

sassafraspete