Red Velvet Ants
 

Has anyone encountered these things? Wife has seen a couple over the past couple weeks, one on the porch today.

Had no idea what it was (looked like a very large ant with red and black stripes) but looked it up and found it to be a red velvet ant. They are not actually ants but wasps. The females look like large ants and don't fly. The concerning part is that everywhere that I have read says they have the most painful sting of any bee (many times I saw the phrase praying for death in relation to someone who was stung). Don't want that one from the porch to find its way into the house and have a barefooted surprise one night.

Anyone out there ever deal with these? I have never seen one in my life so I was surprised to see the picture (below picture not from the wife but exactly what it looked like).

It sounds and looks delicious. Have you tried eating one?

Yes, I've seen them. They are supposed to pack a wallop, but I've never actually heard/seen anyone stung by them. They don't generally go into houses (they are ground burrowers), but I guess it is always possible. Just spray your door and window frames with a residual insecticide (ie. liquid pump bottle type sprayer, not an aerosol), and use a gradual insecticide around the perimeter of the house. I wouldn't be over worried about them, but that should at least give you some piece of mind.

I, for one, love red velvet pants!

Well, I really love red velvet lamps!

This reminds me of the time I hate fucking wasps.

Nice!

Surprised no one made a parody with red velvet Elvis ants...

I want a red velvet ant farm.

We always called those "cow killers"...never been bit/stung by one but I have heard they bring the suck

I googled them, and I think I agree.

Why not Red Velvet Mites?

This is a red velvet mite and he is here to teach you about love - The Oatmeal