| velvet ant | |
| —n | |
| a solitary digger wasp of the family Mutillidae | |
| [C19: so named from the wingless female] | |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
velvet ant
any of a group of wasps (order Hymenoptera) that are named for the covering of dense hairs and somewhat antlike appearance of the wingless females. Males are also covered with dense hairs but have wings and resemble wasps. Most species are brightly coloured, with yellow, orange, or red patterns, ranging in size from about 6 to 20 mm (about 0.25 to 0.80 inch). Males are generally less brightly marked than the females. About 3,000 species are known, and they are most prevalent in the hot, dry regions of the Western Hemisphere.
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