Velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) are a conspicuous component of the fauna of Nearctic deserts, but little is known about their natural history. We observed a nocturnal aggregation of female velvet ants on the dune-restricted plant Croton californicus var. mohavensis (Euphorbiaceae). We collected 44 female velvet ants on or directly beneath a group of male and female plants during 2 nights. Some individuals were on flowers drinking nectar. The discovery of nocturnal velvet ants on C. californicus marks the first record of nectaring in nocturnal female velvet ants.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 September 2010
Nectaring by Nocturnal Velvet Ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)
Joseph S. Wilson,
Kevin A. Williams,
David A. Tanner,
James P. Pitts
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

The Southwestern Naturalist
Vol. 55 • No. 3
September 2010
Vol. 55 • No. 3
September 2010