Red velvet ant (Dasymutilla occidentalis)
Day 22 of #invertober#invertober2023
They are actually a species of parasitic wasps. They use their bright colors as a signal to warn predators that they can sting (with a needle-like stinger hidden at the end of their abdomen) and so they should stay away. They display their coloration to indicate that they are not worth attacking. #cowkillerant#velvetants#wasps#wasp#insects#insect#hymenoptera#invertebrates
