skip to main content

An insect in my house, please help identify.

aspiringphotohrapher

20 years ago

This insect was found on some white flowers in my house one night. Cannot find out what this insect is, and stupid me, I didn't think to take a picture of it. So I made a very bad sketch of it (funny, it looked better in my head). I know it is very crude, but I would love if anyone has idea of what it is, and some information about it, it screeches if frightened by the way (kind of a high pitched pulsating noise).

Image link:

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

larry_gene
20 years ago
Actually your sketch is better than some pictures posted on this forum!

Was this insect wingless?
tucker_sp
20 years ago
How big was it? The sketch looks like it may have been a velvet ant, a type of wingless wasp. Has a nasty sting, so if you handled it and didn't get stung, we can safely assume that was not it. Check the link below for a picture. Colors may vary.
Tucker

Here is a link that might be useful: Velvet ant
Related Professionals
Palm Bay Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Asheville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Elgin Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Rochester Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Pittsburg Landscape Contractors · DeRidder Landscape Contractors · Peoria Landscape Contractors · Vancouver Landscape Contractors · Decatur Tile and Stone Contractors · Rolla Tile and Stone Contractors · Elizabeth City Tile and Stone Contractors · Saint Marys Tile and Stone Contractors · Bennington Tile and Stone Contractors · San Bernardino Tile and Stone Contractors · Montrose Tile and Stone Contractors
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
20 years ago
We need to know from what part of the country (or world) you live. And more details, such as size. GREAT!!!! picture, lol!
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
20 years ago
Certainly a velvet ant after all. Several resouces mention the high pitched sound it makes.
larry_gene
20 years ago
Good call--wasn't aware of how noisy those ants could be. The females are wingless--the ones that sting! Males are winged.

The coloration by our sketch artist makes the velvet ant likely the "cow killer" type.

More pix and info on cow killers

Related Stories

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Backyard Birds: How to Identify Two Common Woodpeckers

By Habitat Network

Downy and hairy woodpeckers have similar coloration and behavior. But there are two big differences that separate them

SUMMER GARDENING Houzz Call: Please Show Us Your Summer Garden!

By Annie Thornton

Share pictures of your home and yard this summer — we’d love to feature them in an upcoming story

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Be a Citizen Scientist to Help Wildlife, Learn and Have Fun Too

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Track butterflies, study birds, capture stars ... when you aid monitoring efforts, you’re lending Mother Nature a hand

EARTH DAY How to Help Your Town’s Beneficial Birds and Bugs

By Annie Thornton

Make a habitat using local materials to provide a home to the creatures that help our gardens

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Help Monarchs and Other Butterflies by Planting Common Milkweed

By Pollination Press LLC

Summer-blooming Asclepias syriaca is an important larval host plant for the monarch butterfly and attracts a number of pollinating insects

SELLING YOUR HOUSE Help for Selling Your Home Faster — and Maybe for More

By Laura Gaskill

Prep your home properly before you put it on the market. Learn what tasks are worth the money and the best pros for the jobs

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 5 Savvy Fixes to Help Your Home Sell

By Kristie Barnett, The Decorologist

Get the maximum return on your spruce-up dollars by putting your money in the areas buyers care most about

DECLUTTERING Downsizing Help: How to Edit Your Belongings

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Learn what to take and what to toss if you're moving to a smaller home

LIFE You Said It: ‘Put It Back’ If It Won’t Help Your House, and More Wisdom

By Becky Harris

Highlights from the week include stopping clutter from getting past the door, fall planting ideas and a grandfather’s gift of love

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Snowberry Pleases Year-Round

Bright spring foliage, pretty summer flowers, white berries in winter ... Symphoricarpos albus is a sight to behold in every season

Sponsored

More Discussions

ants - a mystery

1