Velvet Ant vs Convolvulus Hawk-moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Velvet Ant | Convolvulus Hawk-moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dasymutilla occidentalis | Agrius convolvuli |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Mutillidae | Sphingidae |
| Size | 15-25 mm | 80-120 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | North America | Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia |
| 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.
Convolvulus Hawk-moth
A powerful migrant hawk-moth with a streamlined grey body and pink-banded abdomen. It possesses an extraordinarily long proboscis for feeding from deep tubular flowers.
Did You Know?
Its proboscis can exceed 10 cm in length, allowing it to reach nectar in the deepest trumpet-shaped flowers.