The Horror in My Backyard

by Kim D.

Photo Credit

Isn't nature just lovely. When I moved to Texas, one of the first things I noticed is that everything really is bigger, especially the creepy crawlers. Yesterday, my son spotted a red velvet ant in our backyard. With its bright red colors, this inch-long crawling insect looks very interesting, especially to a 5-year-old boy and his bug cage.

Thankfully my husband intervened and squashed the ant before my son picked it up. You see, the red velvet ant isn't really an ant - it is a variety of wingless female wasp, also known as the "cow killer" because its sting is so horrifyingly bad that it is rumored to be strong enough to kill a cow.

According to what I've read on the webernet, the red velvet ant is not aggressive, but if you've spotted one where you live, going barefoot outdoors isn't a good idea. Stepping on one of these suckers will bring a world of pain.