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Biting Bugs That Look Like Ants in Georgia

There are many types of ants that can be found in the United States. In Georgia -- and in some other areas of the country -- there is an insect that looks like an ant, sometimes acts like an ant and even delivers pain like an ant. However, it's not an ant.

  1. Prime Suspect

    • The most likely insect that bites and appears as an ant is the red velvet ant. Despite its name, it's not an ant. It's a wasp that looks, crawls and moves like an ant. Because this is a variety of wasp, it does not actually bite its victims, but instead stings them. This sting could easily be mistaken for a painful bite, especially if you were assuming it was an ant.

    Characteristics

    • The velvet ant is usually mostly black, but can be distinguished by the bright, fuzzy blotches of red- or burnt orange-looking fur. Females of this species never have wings, but the males do. Females are the only ones that have the ability to sting. To add to the ruse of seeming like ants, the females can be found crawling in sandy areas much like ants. The nickname for the red velvet ant is the "cow killer," although this may refer more to the pain of the sting rather to the damage the insect does to bovine targets.

    Prevalence

    • Velvet ants are found throughout Georgia. Their appearance, like most insects, are quite seasonal. They are most commonly found in July, August and September. They typically prefer grassy areas, so be careful when wading through similar terrain. These wasps have been found all across North America in hundreds of varieties. The red velvet, in particular, is prevalent in both the southeast and southwestern United States in locales ranging from Arizona to Texas to Georgia to Kentucky.

    Considerations

    • The sting of these insects is not any more dangerous than the sting of a normal bee or wasp, although if you are allergic to bees you should avoid being stung. These wasps have the ability to deliver more than one sting. The sting delivered by the wasp is so painful that few natural predators will even dare to eat it. The size of the velvet ant can depend on food supply and the specific environment in which it lives.

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