A fuzzy red-and-black female velvet ant on the ground. — Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Velvet Ant

Family Mutillidae

Not an ant at all: a fuzzy, brightly colored wasp whose wingless females have a very painful sting.

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About the Velvet Ant

Velvet ants are a family of more than 3,000 kinds of wasps. Females have no wings and look like big, hairy ants. Their dense hair is usually bright red or orange, but can be black, white, silver or gold. More than 150 kinds live in the United States, southern Canada and Mexico, many in deserts. They range from 1/8 inch to 1 inch long and prefer nectar.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Family Mutillidae^[1]
Size: 1/8 inch to 1 inch long.^[1]
Diet: Prefers nectar.^[1]
Habitat: Deserts, semi-arid areas and scrublands.^[1]
Where it lives: More than 150 kinds in the U.S., southern Canada and Mexico.^[1]
Group life: Active during the day.^[1]
Conservation status: Common; not endangered. Not assessed by the IUCN.^[1]

Fun facts

Velvet ants are actually wasps.^[1]
Females have stingers but no wings; males have wings but no stingers.^[1]
They're nicknamed "cow killers" for their painful sting.^[1]

Vocabulary

wasp: A flying insect related to bees and ants; many can sting.
setae: Stiff, bristle-like hairs on an insect.
exoskeleton: A hard outer covering that supports and protects an animal's body.
warning coloration: Bright colors that tell predators an animal is dangerous.
insect: A small animal with six legs and a body in three parts: head, thorax and abdomen.

See it in person

San Francisco Zoo & GardensSan Francisco, California · InvertebratesSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “Velvet Ant.” https://www.sfzoo.org/velvet-ant/ (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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