Velvet Ant vs Common Tree Nymph
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Velvet Ant | Common Tree Nymph |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dasymutilla occidentalis | Idea stolli |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Mutillidae | Nymphalidae |
| Size | 15-25 mm | 130-170 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Forests |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | North America | Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Borneo, Sulawesi, Philippines, Maluku) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
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.
Common Tree Nymph
A very large butterfly with translucent white wings heavily veined and spotted in black. It flies with a slow, lazy, paper-kite fluttering motion through the forest understory.
Did You Know?
Its slow, floating flight advertises its toxicity to predators - the caterpillars store alkaloids from their host plants that persist into adulthood.