TIMULLA VAGANS
Timulla vagans
VELVET ANT FAMILY (Mutillidae)
This velvet ant is approximately 3/4 inch or 20 mm in length. The male has a black face, antennae, legs and wings. The thorax is also black except for a thin white line across the top. The abdomen is red and hairy. The female has a red thorax and a red head. Her abdomen is black with white hairy bands. The legs are black and hairy. The females do not have wings.
The frequency of occurrence is not known. The male shown here was photographed at Camp Brewster in early August.
The female is said to have a very painful sting. The males do not sting. These wasps are parasitoids of Cicada Killer wasps. The females slip into the Cicada Killer nest and lay eggs on the larvae. There are 30 species in the genus Timulla.
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