Velvet ant (wingless female wasp)

Dry, sandy or open habitats, including lawns, gardens, and woodland edges. Females often roam across the ground or enter buildings accidentally.

Adults commonly consume nectar and other plant fluids; some also take small insect prey. Larvae consume developing bees or wasps inside their nests.

Wingless females are solitary, fast-moving, and conspicuously hairy, with a painful defensive sting. They are parasitoids: females locate host nests and lay eggs on bee or wasp larvae.

They are not aggressive but can deliver a very painful sting if handled or stepped on; the nickname “cow killer” is exaggerated. They help regulate solitary bee and wasp populations and contribute modestly to pollination.