Insect identification please

[Tommyh]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnguQZjRBVA"]‪Velvet Ant "Cow Killer" Stinger Closeup‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]

[Uncle Doug]

Seen a lot of them as a kid in east Texas. Had not seen one for years then saw one last year on my place. Won't see that one again.

[tookeymonster]

That is a Velvet ant A.K.A. Cowkiller. It is actually a wingless wasp.

They hert like a MO FO! I would much rather be stung by a red wasp.

[DedDucks]

Always called them cow ants or cow killers aswell.

[refugioco]

Dang my specialty in college (Texas A&I Biology major, Dr. Gillespie the best entomologist I know). Velvet ants (no common names are wrong)are interesting. I always tried to pair up a female ( like the one pictured) with a male. The males are much smaller with wings. On trips to Mexico I brought back a lot of interesting specimens, but none larger than the one you have there. Most of the other post are accurate. Brought back memories of walking around 24-7 with an insect net.