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The internet was horrified after Floridian Eric Breuer shared his experience of being stung by the notorious "cow killer" velvet ant.
Breuer shared photos from the incident to the Facebook group Unseen Florida after another user posted photos of the insect, asking for help identifying it.
"It was mid July 2020," Breuer told Newsweek. "I rode my motorcycle to the Publix on Route 27 in Davenport, Florida. As I dismounted my bike and took one or two steps I was [stung]. It felt like someone burning me with a cigarette on my inner right thigh. I immediately slapped my leg and the insect fell out of my pant leg."
Velvet ants—also known as "cow killer" ants—are a family of insects that can be found throughout North America. Despite their name, they are actually a family of wasps, although the wingless females bare more resemblance to an ant than the winged, striped yellow jackets we know.
"I had never seen this type of insect before or one like it since. The insect itself was about 1/2 to 3/4 inches long, bright red and black," Breuer said.
There are roughly 435 species of velvet ant in North America, with roughly 50 species in Florida alone, according to the University of Florida. These insects are parasitoids, meaning they lay their eggs on the defenseless pupae of other insects, which act as food for the wasp's hatchlings when they emerge.
Because they lack wings to fly away from predators, velvet ants have developed a formidable sting, which ranks an impressive three out of four on the Schmitt Pain Scale for Stinging Insects, according to London's Natural History Museum. Justin Schmidt, the creator of the scale, described it as the feeling of "hot oil from the deep fryer spilling over your hand."
Because of the severity of their sting, the creature has earned the nickname "cow killer." Although it is painful, the stings are not very toxic and there are no documented reports of cows dying from interactions with these wasps. Luckily, velvet ants are not aggressive and will usually only sting in defense.
"It took about 10 days for the redness to fully dissipate," Breuer said. "I felt a sting in the area for a good four or five days."
Breuer's post has received hundreds of likes and comments from other users.
"Oh my! That looks excruciating!" said one user.
"Holy crap...OUCH!" said another.
About the writer
Pandora Dewan is a Senior Science Reporter at Newsweek based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health ... Read more