Mud Dauber Wasp vs Velvet Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mud Dauber Wasp | Velvet Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sceliphron caementarium | Dasymutilla occidentalis |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Sphecidae | Mutillidae |
| Size | 24-28 mm | 15-25 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | North America, introduced to Europe and other continents | North America |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Mud Dauber Wasp
A slender black and yellow solitary wasp that builds tubular mud nests on walls and structures. It stocks each cell with paralyzed spiders as food for its developing larvae.
Did You Know?
A single mud nest cell can contain up to 25 paralyzed spiders stacked inside.
Velvet Ant
Not actually an ant but a wasp. Females are wingless and covered in dense, colorful hair. Known as "cow killers" for their extremely painful sting. Parasitize ground-nesting bees.
Did You Know?
Velvet ants have been called the most indestructible insects — their exoskeleton is so tough that entomological pins bend when trying to pierce them.