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

The species in question is Traumatomutilla bifurca, a type of velvet ant – which is, somewhat confusingly, actually a species of wasp. Some of these wasps don't have any wings, but they do have ...

The sting of a female velvet ant is one of the most painful in the animal kingdom. Now, researchers have discovered that these insects have multiple proteins in their venom that make it ...

One big challenge of this nomadic lifestyle is the ... It's best to leave them alone and watch these animals from a distance. Velvet ants are often brightly coloured, commonly featuring red, orange, ...

BRASILIA, Brazil – A new study has revealed the complex makeup of an ant found in South America that can absorb nearly all visible light. Researchers analyzed the velvet ant’s exoskeleton and ...

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