Cow Killers

I was headed for the Peace Corps Office. I climbed the same forty steps to the overpass and down thirty steps to reach the other side of the street. I’ve done this dozens of times, but today was different. Just after the bus dropped me, and only a few steps from the sidewalk, I noticed a tiny creature crawling in the dirt. I might have missed this little thing had it not been for its brilliant color.


As I watched this little creature make its way in a hurried fashion, I was reminded of years past when John and I would spend so much time on a small detail of nature. There is a meditative feeling that overcomes me when I watch an ant carry food to it's queen or watch a spider spin its web or a squirrel burying a nut, only to be stolen by a sly Blue Jay. I miss having someone to share the details in life.

I stood there looking at this ant when a young man appeared behind me. I risked conversation, “Look at that ant. Have you ever seen anything like this before?” Normally, when I try to converse with strangers, I’m met with silence and strange looks. This is especially true in the city. But today it was different. The young man said, “Now, I’ve lived here all my life and never seen anything like this before. We watched in silence, well into a minute. It was a quiet bond and I found it comforting to enjoy this moment with a stranger.

When I reached home that evening, I Googled the strange looking ant. It is called a Red Velvet Ant or a Cow Killer. It’s unlikely this tiny creature has ever actually killed a cow, but evidently its sting is so painful that it is said if a cow were stung, it would die from the pain.

This creature is not an ant, but a female wingless wasp.

Males look much the same but have wings. It will do no harm if left alone. But there is one more curious thing you should know about this little creature. If you pin the Cow Killer down with a stick or object it will scream. Now isn’t nature amazing!