A late-July-August insect looks about a scary as they come, but there is no need to fear the male velvet wasp, sometimes called a velvet ant or “cow killer.” He’s fuzzy; he’s harmless. The female of ...

Question: A very large orange striped ant walked through my daughter’s sand box. Is this something we should be worried about? Answer: As long as you just watch this insect you are fine. It is called ...

When you see a red velvet ant, the first thing you will probably ask yourself is “what the heck is that thing?” It kind of looks like a giant ant, but it also looks like a wingless wasp. They are ...

The viral Facebook post combines two common names for this insect. Old images purportedly showing a "velvet cowkiller" ant received renewed attention in April 2018: These images, as well as a near ...

ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. — Is there something bugging you about this time of year? It seems as soon as cool air arrives, insects try to make themselves comfortable in your home. Good Morning Show viewer ...

OAKLEY, Md. (WHTM) — It certainly looks like an ant, doesn’t it? In fact, the red velvet ant (Dasymutilla occidentalis) isn’t an ant at all, but a wasp. At around 3/4 of an inch long, it’s the largest ...

At the foot of certain shrubs in the Mojave Desert, fluffy white motes skitter like tumbleweeds across the sand. Some are fruit: harmless, fuzzy orbs dropped by the creosote bush. Others are white ...

The thistledown velvet ant, which is actually a wasp, resembles creosote fuzz. But mimicry isn’t the reason, a new study suggests. By Sabrina Imbler At the foot of certain shrubs in the Mojave Desert, ...