|
Post by frane on Aug 1, 2010 20:31:35 GMT -5
My husband was out turning the compost piles today (he uses an extra large snow shovel) and towards the bottom of one of the piles, there was this huge ant looking red bug that was over an inch long. It was really irritated when he called me out to see it and I had to grab the camera. It didn't want to stand still so the pictures are blurry. It is called a red silken ant but it is in the wasp family. The males have wings I guess but the females have stingers and no wings. They have the nickname cow killer (didn't know this when we were trying to keep it on the shovel to take a picture of it). David put it back in the compost area....I think I am going to wear boots the next time I go out there! Fran
|
|
|
Post by Roller on Aug 1, 2010 20:56:15 GMT -5
wow thats too cool ... bright colors like that in animals usually mean only one thing .... Danger !!!
|
|
|
Post by sitnwrap on Aug 1, 2010 21:18:53 GMT -5
That is a cool looking ant.
|
|
snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
|
Post by snuffy on Aug 1, 2010 21:33:33 GMT -5
I remember being a young kid and getting stung by a similar looking red thing.I paid more attention to them after that.
snuffy
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
|
Post by Sabre52 on Aug 1, 2010 21:44:54 GMT -5
Cool wasp! I've always called them Velvet Ants and have heard of their ugly reputation. Supposed to be a very unpleasant sting but thankfully, though I run into them a lot in my wanderings, I have never had the pleasure. The more common ones I see are either white or yellow with the wildest one having messy hair that looks like Linsey Lohan after a bad night of partying...Mel
|
|
free4rms
freely admits to licking rocks
My little pet walrus
Member since January 2007
Posts: 839
|
Post by free4rms on Aug 2, 2010 7:04:43 GMT -5
I watched a program on t.v. once where an entomologist said that the sting he got from this wasp was worse than any other sting he had ever experienced. Their sting is like a 9.8 on a scale of 10. Good thing you didn't let this one get ahold of you!
|
|
|
Post by Toad on Aug 2, 2010 10:04:10 GMT -5
I was going to say it looked like a wasp. Really cool.
|
|
|
Post by stonesthatrock on Aug 2, 2010 12:15:46 GMT -5
oh phew................ i thought i was gonna be a picture of a snake............
mary ann
|
|
|
Post by Bikerrandy on Aug 2, 2010 13:26:53 GMT -5
I was hoping for a picture of a snake. lol
|
|
|
Post by texaswoodie on Aug 2, 2010 14:14:21 GMT -5
If they are wasps where are the wings? We call 'em cow ants here and they sting worse than any wasp, bee, hornet or anything else I've been stung by.
Curt
|
|
|
Post by frane on Aug 2, 2010 14:47:53 GMT -5
What I have found out is that the female does not get wings. She gets the stinger. The male has wings but cannot sting. She invades other wasps nests and kills them. Her skin is so tough, their stingers cannot get through it. I guess I am never going to walk in my yard bare footed! Fran
|
|