A few days ago
CHAD T

My son found a huge red & black ant at least 3 inches long and as big around as my ring finger! What is it?

I thought they were called cow ants, but when I tried to look it up on the Highbeam encyclopedia online it only came up with ant cow;an amphid that makes honey ants eat.

please help I know that this is an ant that if it bites it injects a high amount of poison that could be deadly.

Thanks Gail T.

Top 2 Answers
A few days ago
arkiegirl32

Favorite Answer

Saw one of these just the other day and went searching for answers myself….

It is a Red Velvet Ant (also called cow-killer), but it is actually a wasp. Check this link out: http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg344.html

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A few days ago
moaatimo
I am sure someone will correct me but I think this is just a normal ant, just one that within the colony has the role of a bulldozer. I have seen them too and they were surrounded by smaller ants while doing some heavy lifting for them. There are some pics on the net but my laptop is playing up so I cant do the search for you, sorry…
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A few days ago
Volusian
Get a magnyfying glass and look at the ant’s waist / thorax. If you see a little tool belt, it’s a carpenter ant.
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A few days ago
LA TotiJoe
I know that potato bugs (jerusalem crickets) get that big (3 in.) and on their feet they look like huge ants. Their defensive position is on their backs scaring the hell out of potential attackers with their hideous threatening appearance and size. Was your bug on it’s back when you collected it?
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A few days ago
ceegee
It’s a fire ant. Do you live in Florida?
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A few days ago
drakke1
A mutant ninja ant? 🙂
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A few days ago
Anonymous
maybe a bullet ant???
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