New research has found an insect species with markings that are so black that they’re ‘superblack’ or ‘ultrablack’, absorbing ...

Velvet ants are in fact a family of wingless wasps with more than 7000 species. The researcher Justin Schmidt, who invented the Schmidt sting pain index, described their sting as “explosive and ...

Velvet ants are sometimes called cow killers due to the excruciating pain ... used to shock a predator into letting go, allowing the wasp to get away rather than to seriously harm or kill. Velvet ant ...

These wasps are one of the darkest organisms in the world. Ultra-black isn’t just a matter of having a lot of melanin. Upon closer examination of the wasp’s exoskeleton, scientists found thin ...

The cow killer (also known as the red velvet ant) is actually a species of wingless wasp, but they are in the same order as ants (Hymenoptera) so they share similar characteristics. They are ...

Velvet ant venom acts on specific pain pathways in mammals and insects, revealing a unique biological defence mechanism ...