Discover the Velvet Ant at Grootbos Florilegium! 

Did you know the Velvet Ant isn’t actually an ant? Discover this fascinating wasp and its role in nature at the Grootbos Florilegium!

There’s a curious insect in the Grootbos Florilegium gallery that might leave you scratching your head. Meet the Velvet Ant, which is actually not an ant at all—it’s a wasp from the Mutillidae family. Named for its dense, velvety hairs, the female Velvet Ant is wingless and carries a modified ovipositor that doubles as a very painful sting! Meanwhile, the winged males are pollinators, often visiting the Livingstone daisy (Cleretum bellidiforme).

Botanical artist Anita Walsmit Sachs-Jansen has beautifully captured this fascinating wasp in her illustration of Cleretum bellidiforme, now part of the Grootbos Florilegium.

The winged male Velvet Ant in all its glory, showcasing its important role in pollination.