No Surprise Texas Would Have A “Cow Killer” Ant. This Is Crazy.

Every thing is bigger in Texas; at least that's how the saying goes. Not only does Texas do everything "bigger," but a lot of things we see as normal in the Lone Star State go above and beyond what you'll find in a lot of other places.

For instance, I had no idea Texas is home to a cow killer ant. Of course Texas would have a cow killer ant, and of course it's absolutely crazy.

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How A Curious Search For Texas Bugs Led To The Cow Killer

My day started out innocent enough. That all changed when I decided to go down a rabbit hole of insects in the Lone Star State.

One by one, all manner of tiny nightmares appeared in my Google search. Scorpions, snakes, spiders all were well represented; as they should be. Everyone knows that these pests call Texas home.

What shocked me was a link to information about something called a cow killer ant.

The Cow Killer Ant Of Texas Isn't An Ant

Interestingly enough, it isn't actually an ant. It's a wasp. Of course the craziest ant in Texas is actually a wasp in disguise.

The females don't have wings. This is what makes their ant disguise complete. They scurry around on the ground looking ant-like and striking terror into anything that has bare feet...or skin...within its reach.

The Name Cow Killer Comes From The Pain Of Its Sting

True story. I came across a couple of idiots on YouTube who let one of these demon wasps sting them.

Spoiler alert; they had a bad time.

The stingers on the females are intense. The pain can last a long time. One moron that I alluded to earlier claimed it felt like getting hit with a taser.

Big ouch, indeed.

They Even Reproduce In A Terrifying Way

When the female goes to lay eggs, she doesn't use a nice new nest. No, she goes and finds a nice hole in the ground that some other wasp has dug and filled with eggs.

When the cow killer eggs hatch, the baby eats its surroundings...if you catch my drift.

The Red Velvet Cow Killer Ant, May You Never Cross My Path

Honestly, they look scary as hell but at the same time there's something almost "pretty" about their appearance.

Still, I don't want to come across any in the near future. They can stay in my nightmares where they belong.