Ouch!
The Velvet ant, Mutillidae as know by scientist, can inflict what is probably the most painful sting of any insect in North America. In fact, one species of Mutillidae, Dasymutilla occidentalis, has a sting so painful that it has earned the nickname "Cow Killer". It is said to pack a sting painful enough to kill a Cow!
Wasp or Ant?
The female of this species is wingless and brightly colored red and black. Her male counterpart has wings and can inflict no sting at all. Capable of flight, the male has a different color pattern than the female. They are found throughout the United States in arid soil conditions. Most active at dusk and dawn, these insects are actually a species of solitary wasp and not an ant at all. They eat other insects
Cow Killers are predators, feeding on other types of insects like Bumble Bees. They build their nest in the ground where they lay their eggs and bring their prey. Below is a video of a Cow Killer I found in my front yard this past summer.
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