RED VELVET ANT OR COW KILLER

These insects are wasps, not ants. Females are wingless and covered with dense hair, superficially resembling ants.
The red velvet-ant is the largest velvet-ant species, reaching about 3/4 inch in length. They are black overall with patches of dense orange-red hair on the thorax and abdomen.

Males are similar but have wings and can not sting. The common name, "cow killer," is thought to describe the painful sting these insects can inflict to man and animals, although it is doubtful that many cows are actually stung.