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I came across this rather large one yesterday. What do these eat?
velvet ant pic
- Thread starter Galapoheros
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fruit, honey, sugar water
do try not to get bit or stung. when you see the jaws you will know what i mean
read up on their reproduction. it is kind of weird.
do try not to get bit or stung. when you see the jaws you will know what i mean
read up on their reproduction. it is kind of weird.
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i fed mine on either honey, or sugar water. honey was easiest for me. and yeah, they don't call them a "cow-killer" for nothing!! 
the stinger is, i swear, literally as long as the abdomen. ridiculously long.
the stinger is, i swear, literally as long as the abdomen. ridiculously long.
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the jaws of a local species are very oversized, as well
they fang tips well cross each other
brutish, for being a hippy honey drinker =P
they fang tips well cross each other
brutish, for being a hippy honey drinker =P
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i would not be worried at all about the bite compared to the stingthe jaws of a local species are very oversized, as well
they fang tips well cross each other
brutish, for being a hippy honey drinker =P
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here's the flavor we have out here in CO:
and again, i swear the sting is as long as the abdomen.
and again, i swear the sting is as long as the abdomen.
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yeah, the sting is supposed to be crazyi would not be worried at all about the bite compared to the sting
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probably not bad for the man who lets giant centipedes bite him
now THAT is crazy!
you should try it out and let us know how it compares. i would be interested
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Interesting food info. I have been stung once. It was about 30 years ago when I was at summer camp. I had always been curious about them. I saw one when we were hiking and I thought, I will just touch the back the abdomen. I touched it and that long stinger reached under and got me!!!! I remember jumping back and thinking "what the hell just happened!!!" It hurt pretty bad, bad enough that I really remember that moment. Even today I don't want to touch one ....but I did hahahahahahaha
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Nice! The ones here in Socal are a bit fuzzier. Here's one I caught the other day.
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nice, kyle!
ooh, check out this ugly mug...
and i always thought the "thistledown" (the crazy hairy, all-white) Vant was awesome looking.
anybody find (and could take pics of) thistledowns??
ooh, check out this ugly mug...
and i always thought the "thistledown" (the crazy hairy, all-white) Vant was awesome looking.
anybody find (and could take pics of) thistledowns??
TheDarkInfinity
Arachnopeon
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I havent found any Dasymutilla gloriosa in a long time. When I used to live in Rangely, CO north of Grand Junction I would find them out there while looking for scorps.
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wasps
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Those things are so cool. I caught one last year and tried to keep it. I was unsuccessful, it never ate the honey water i was offering or the half grape, eventually dying. I think she was fertilized and wanted only to find a place to lay eggs.
Have you heard it stridulate yet?
This is her. I guess this is a pretty large species, more than 1" body length. These are found in MD.
Have you heard it stridulate yet?
This is her. I guess this is a pretty large species, more than 1" body length. These are found in MD.
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Pretty interesting coloration on that one ...and pretty big! I've heard them stridulate, they sound kind of like some longhorn beetles to me, but a little louder. And when I said I touched the back of the abdomen on one and got stung when I was a kid, I meant to say "on top" lol. I wouldn't touch the stinger end of the ab, haha. I touched the top part of the abdomen closest to the head and it STILL got me! I still have this one, it ate a small drop of honey. I was going to let it go today but I'm going to watch it for a while. It's trying to dig so I'm going to give it some sub.
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Yeah... I had mine on sub similar to where I found it with some stuff in there to hide under, food and a little water dish. All it really did was lap the jar endlessly and just try like heck to escape. I felt bad when it died, she would have been fine if I hadn't messed with her.
Incidentally, i find these guys and giant, gentle wasps that I've always heard called "apple wasps" in near proximity. I suspect it's the apple wasps that the velvet ant parasitizes to lay eggs.
Incidentally, i find these guys and giant, gentle wasps that I've always heard called "apple wasps" in near proximity. I suspect it's the apple wasps that the velvet ant parasitizes to lay eggs.
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OK I'm letting this lady go now, hope she finds a Yellowjacket hole!
The ones around here have the pattern similar to the one etown posted but the hair is very short and does look just like velvet. Every year one walks across the parking lot where I work and every year they come running and ask me what it is. Every year I tell them and put it in a cup and let them hear it squeak and warn them never to touch them. Every year they ask me again, sheesh! They are among my favorites. I just love the colors.
oh crap..they're wasps?..still..pretty hairy wasps then..wasps