Squealing red ant?

[opq]

Has anyone encountered these? I have encountered them thus far three times in my travels.

They are bright red and about the size of a carpenter ant, perhaps a little larger. They have black rear part with white or yellow stripes going horizontally across.

The really odd part is, if you press gently down on them, they will squeal rather audibly. (I suggest using a small twig, they look vicious).

I have some not-very-good pics that I can post if needed.

Any idea what these are?

 

[Teegate]

Has anyone encountered these? I have encountered them thus far three times in my travels.

They are bright red and about the size of a carpenter ant, perhaps a little larger. They have black rear part with white or yellow stripes going horizontally across.

The really odd part is, if you press gently down on them, they will squeal rather audibly. (I suggest using a small twig, they look vicious).

I have some not-very-good pics that I can post if needed.

Any idea what these are?

I have never heard of an ant that made noise, but it sounds interesting.

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

Pictures would sure help. If you had described it as being much larger than a carpenter ant I would say it actually could have been a wasp.(type unknown to me)

Steve

PS. You would probably scream to if something a thousand times your size pressed down on you.

 

[njvike]

Has anyone encountered these? I have encountered them thus far three times in my travels.

They are bright red and about the size of a carpenter ant, perhaps a little larger. They have black rear part with white or yellow stripes going horizontally across.

The really odd part is, if you press gently down on them, they will squeal rather audibly. (I suggest using a small twig, they look vicious).

I have some not-very-good pics that I can post if needed.

Any idea what these are?

Is this what it looked like:

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/forums...ery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

Sorry for the bad pic but he was fast

 

[opq]

A bit like that, yes What is that thing?

 

[njvike]

A bit like that, yes What is that thing?

I forgot but Behr or Kendawg might know since they were also there when we were visiting Aserdaten last year and noticed this unusual bug.


I don't remember it making any sounds but we didn't do anything but stare at it.

Guys???

 

[Piney1125]

The Red Ants

Are they in New Jersey? I thought they only lived in the south.

 

[njvike]

The Red Ants

Are they in New Jersey? I thought they only lived in the south.

Every year I get them in the backyard. I stay clear of them and they never come close to my home.

This one, however, I've never seen before except in Forked River.

Ken

 

[BEHR655]

A bit like that, yes What is that thing?

I forgot but Behr or Kendawg might know since they were also there when we were visiting Aserdaten last year and noticed this unusual bug.


I don't remember it making any sounds but we didn't do anything but stare at it.

Guys???

If it looked like Ken's photo then it was a wasp. I forget who was with us that knew what it was. I have never seen anything like it before or since that day.

 

[manumuskin]

That ant ain"t! Thats a cow ant but it"s really a wasp.I know from personal experience.Their flightless,solitary except while breeding and their on the ground even when the barrens are broiling,they just move faster then.
Al

 

[bach2yoga]

We called them velvet ants growing up. We used to have them in our backyard in Cumberland County. I remember picking one up when I was 9 or 10, because it was so pretty, and learned the hard way that they are really wasps. :shock:
Renee

 

[bach2yoga]

I looked it up a bit, they aren't wasps but are closely related to wasps. There are over 400 species in the US, found mostly in fields and meadows. Used to drive tobacco farmers nuts.
Sometimes called cow killer or mule killer because their sting is said to be painful enough to kill a cow (or a mule).
Only the female has a stinger. The male has wings, female does not. They are parasitic on wasps and bees--The female velvet ant invades a nest of wasps or bumblebees and lays eggs in the cells of the host. The velvet ant larvae kills and eats the host bee pupa.
Renee

 

[BarryC]

I was trying to remember the name of the one in the picture. Yes, now I remember. It's the Velvet Ant. I remember seeing and photographing one in the middle of the intersection at Mount. There was somewhere else too, but I can't remember. Opq's description sounds different than that though. And I've never heard of a bug that squeals when you push down on it. :think: Interesting.

 

[njvike]

I was trying to remember the name of the one in the picture. Yes, now I remember. It's the Velvet Ant. I remember seeing and photographing one in the middle of the intersection at Mount. There was somewhere else too, but I can't remember. Opq's description sounds different than that though. And I've never heard of a bug that squeals when you push down on it. :think: Interesting.

I guess it depends on how far down you step on it without actually killing it :wink:

 

[opq]

The Pics..

That's the squealer. Is it really a wasp? :shock:

 

[opq]

I don't think its the velvet ant, because it's not hairy nor very velvety.

???

 

[manumuskin]

Renee,
Yes I always called em cow ants but I"ve heard them called velvet ants too.I"m pretty good on my latin when it comes to reptiles but insects I"m not.I just know their not to be toyed with like I would a large ant.best left untouched.
Al

 

[KenDawg]

I forget who was with us that knew what it was. I have never seen anything like it before or since that day.

I think it was Ben who told us it was a Velvet Ant. The one we all saw was near the charcoal burn on the way to the Eureka Gun Club.

 

[Jason Bladzinski]

Has anyone encountered these? I have encountered them thus far three times in my travels.

They are bright red and about the size of a carpenter ant, perhaps a little larger. They have black rear part with white or yellow stripes going horizontally across.

The really odd part is, if you press gently down on them, they will squeal rather audibly. (I suggest using a small twig, they look vicious).

I have some not-very-good pics that I can post if needed.

Any idea what these are?

The velvet ant, also known as the cow killer. Its actually a wingless flightless wasp. A Very painful sting can be delivered by this insect. Steer clear, don't agitate it, pushing sticks on to it is just going to prime it to sting.

 

[46er]

And then there is the exploding variety, probably developed by ISIS. Found in SE Asia, so its reasonable to expect they will be here soon.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/species-exploding-ant-kill-itself-save-colony-140614539.html