Case of the Panda Ant
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqG360cBlCtlgn2g0DA-ebgN1GtfZXZs-san_ILb2GHkqjuCb7BxNTAEox1bzWNePdG4oAp2hJM_YH_VZoonPoxfvO8jvZAQJhum4dpLHT4_hMOIWu9lO_Mbe6rbYxDLJk6XI3TNCvVmWf/s320/pandaant.png)
A panda ant? I just had to find out more about this insect.
Surprisingly this charismatic "ant" was difficult to find, and involved translating a lot of spanish text. Alas I discovered this "ant" is actually a wingless wasp from Chile. The specimens collected and cataloged in the Virtual Biodiversity Insectarium were hermaphrodites about 8mm in length from a near coastal region in central Chile.
Pretty cute for a wasp.. but its interesting how similar it looks to this Thistledown Velvet Ant, Dasymutilla gloriosa found in Mexico, California, Texas, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHZ9o1GAfaTEzR6IHR6YZ6J5uLype4l03ztAS8KK29mLNL4Zs46Hkvd9kgBCF32PPC8CkFIA88L-Msj6E2Hp8olnHXNbw9TwZ4EZ45DLSVMzmK_N1vUl_WwSl8X-DgVTfU-NSdE5B0Jtq/s320/adultpandaant%253Awasp.png)
Freaky.
Too cute!
ReplyDeleteThat wasp, really interesting thing. A flightless one! Who would ever notice! Those insects, so tiny, yet so powerfull. What about bees? Got notices about the devastation of their hives? Thanks!
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