An ant that disappears into the forest floor, a bird that demands attention from mates—for these animals, an inky black ...

The velvet ant is the first known ultra-black species of the order Hymenoptera, which includes over 150,000 species of ants, wasps, sawflies, and bees. It’s a rare coloring in the wild ...

Velvet ants in general are quite colorful, often with bright scarlet or orange patches, as well as silver, gold or white, usually with contrasting black patches. Their vibrant coloring serves as a ...

About the size of a board game die, one species of velvet ant is known for its distinct black-and-white markings, which dazzle the eye as the creatures scurry across tropical savanna and a dry ...

A velvet ant bite like “hot oil from the deep fryer” delivers an array of peptides that inflicts pain on insects and mammals alike.

Despite their name and looks, velvet ants are actually wasps. Many of these delightfully fuzzy insects exhibit bright, contrasting shades of black with red, orange or white. Their bold bodies serve as ...

Researchers analyzed the velvet ant’s exoskeleton and uncovered a highly specialized structure that minimizes light reflection and maximizes absorption, making it one of the most ultra-black ...

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 ...