White and fluffy, "killer cows": the ants are-impostors with which to be reckoned

We are accustomed to the fact that white and fluffy animals are cute and photogenic creatures that want to stroke and fondle. But the insect world has its own laws prevail, and this rule does not work. At least the cute appearance of the velvet ants Mutillidae better to stay away, unless you want to learn the hard way, why these pussies are called "killer cows".

Let's start with the fact that velvet ants are not ants at all. It's just very similar to ants, wasps, which is also called why-the wasps-the Germans. It is more than strange for insect nickname, because it prefers a warm climate and in Europe North of Italy not found. Most often these fake ants can be found in Latin America, India and Pakistan.

This is a very common in warm climates presents 4285 arthropod species and 207 genera! While our planet wasp-the Germans inhabit a very long time. The most ancient copy was discovered in a piece of amber, which is 40 million years.

Despite the fact that wasps are German in nature is not uncommon, to a detailed study of their lives entomologists have not yet reached the hands. Probably, these hands drops a huge species diversity of these insects, which are incredibly diverse. Is white and furry "ants-Panda" similar to ripe strawberries, red wasps, yellow and anthracite-black.

What is relatively well understood, as is the sexual dimorphism of Mutallibov, which can not but arouse the interest of scholars. When placed next to the male and female osy-nemki one type, then very few will be able to recognize them as kindred spirits. The fact that females of these wasps are small (to 2 cm), hairy and clumsy, and in addition do not have wings.

Males of this species — lean winged beauties with a body length up to 5 cm, fast and aggressive. Females, bright as jewels and very slow, attracted to males not only a spectacular fur coat, but vocal. They are able to produce chirping sounds using stridulation camera, almost the same as that of the grasshoppers and crickets.

A large male easily raises your passion in the air and they circle in the mating dance above the ground, and then on the fly mate. After that, the female using special receptors, goes to look for a place to lay eggs. To do this, oddly enough, a wasp is a German bracket beehive or a hornet's nest.

The female crawls into "nursery" and throws its eggs to a stranger, then slowly leaves someone's house. She's not interested in other people's kids, as the insect is a strict vegetarian and eats only nectar. I wouldn't say the larvae, which hatch from the eggs. They need live food and they are systematically destroying the larvae of the owners of the hive.

Of course, such a visit may not like the owners and "mother-cuckoo" mercilessly attacked. But the powerful jaws and sharp sting her overweening — osy-nemki protected under coat is extremely powerful chitinous armor, to break through which is almost impossible. But the OSA is German quite effective in defending, ruthlessly putting the enemies one by one.

It's time to tell you why these creatures in Latin America are called "killer cows". It's all in the sting, which nature has given these far not the largest OS. The weapon can have a length of from 0.5 to 1 cm and are often comparable in length with the abdomen of the wearer. Impressive sting attached no less evil poison that causes the bitten person or animal in unbearable pain.

Those who have experienced the attack of the wasps-the Germans admitted that the first thing after the bite I want to get rid of the stung limb or cut out the affected area of the skin. To kill a cow or even a healthy adult OSA can not, so the popular name is just a metaphor. Despite this, we would not advise to go to close contact with this beast, even people with very high pain threshold.