Cow killer ants can be found throughout the U.S., but mainly on the eastern side of the country. They tend to prefer open areas, like clover fields, deserts, forest edges, and meadows.

The Cow Killer Ant is also known as Velvet Ant or Red Wasp. While called "ant," it is actually a wingless female wasp that can inflict a painful sting. The male wasp does have the advantage of flight.

So, the next time the mesmerizing bright red streak of a velvet ant catches your gaze, keep your distance, but have no fear, for this cow killer comes in peace.

The Cow Killer Ant eggs then hatch and feed on the larva of the Eastern Cicada Killers. Male Cow Killer Ants are not often seen and can fly, but are not capable of stinging.

Brave Wilderness Official. STUNG by the Longest Stinger! (Cow Killer Ant) Posted: May 31, 2025 | Last updated: June 6, 2025. More for You ...

A picture of the massive sting left by the "cow killer" velvet ant on Eric Breuer's leg in July 2020. "It felt like someone burning me with a cigarette on my inner right thigh," he ...

In case you were wondering, there is in fact an ant with an inch-long stinger that can cause 30 minutes of life-changing, pray-for-death pain. The velvet ant, nicknamed the "Cow Killer," is not ...

Turns out, it’s a wasp dubbed the ‘cow killer.’ This furry red-and-black bug spotted by an Alamance County, NC viewer looks like an ant, at first glance. Turns out, it's a wingless wasp.

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WTHR) — If you have any trips planned to the Great Smoky Mountains, be on the lookout for a specific type of insect. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park shared details in a ...

The Eastern Velvet Ant isn't an ant at all - it's technically a wasp. The female "cow killers" are the only sex equipped with a stinger while the males are able to fly. The bugs are normally ...

Turns out, it’s a wasp dubbed the ‘cow killer.’ This furry red-and-black bug spotted by an Alamance County, NC viewer looks like an ant, at first glance. Turns out, it's a wingless wasp.