Dasymutilla occidentalis Dasymutilla occidentalis Dasymutilla occidentalis (red velvet ant or eastern velvet ant), is a species of parasitoid wasp native to the eastern United States. It is commonly mistaken for a member of the true ant family, as the female is wingless. The species ranges from Connecticut to Missouri in the north and Florida to Texas in the south. Other common names include cow ant and cow killer. The eastern velvet ant is the largest of the velvet ant species in the United States, attaining an approximate length of 0.75 in (1.9 cm). Adults display aposematic coloration, consisting of black overall coloring
Longhorn crazy ant are omnivorous and feed on seeds, dead invertebrates, honeydew, plant secretions, fruit and a range of household scraps. Large food items may be moved by several ants working together. They consume honeydew predominantly in spring and autumn and may tend aphids, mealybugs and scale insects so as to maximise the secretions they produce. During the summer they preferentially seek a high protein diet. In buildings, they collect crumbs and the insect corpses found under lights. The longhorn crazy ant is able to invade new habitats and out-compete other species of ant. In 1991, in the large closed dome of the