Cow Killer

It was another hot and humid day here, and after doing some work out in the yard I was inside sitting at my (air-conditioned) desk when I spotted this out dashing about on the deck.

The Cow Killer, so named because its sting is reputed to be painful enough to kill a cow. And while it is quite painful, (so I'm told), it's not that painful.

A species of "Velvet Ant". Although they are not velvet. Nor are they ants. They are wasps. Females, like the one shown in this post, are wingless, while the males have wings. The females have the stings.

On warm summer days the females can be found running about, rather quickly as I found out, looking for for the nests of ground nesting bees or wasps. Once found, she'll enter and lay an egg. And when her eggs hatches it will proceed to eat the larvae of the host species.

I had seen this critter before out in the Pinelands, but this is the first time I've spotted one in the yard. Another cool yard critter.

No Cows, Cow Killers, or any other critters, were harmed for this post.

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You can find all of the Yard Critter posts listed here.