NewsAnimalsVelvet ants have the Swiss Army knife of venomsThe venom acts on distinct molecular targets in mammals and insects Velvet ants deliver a savagely painful sting, prompting their other, more colorful nickname: cow killers.Steve Heap/Getty ImagesBy Amanda Heidt11 seconds agoFew creatures can tangle with a velvet ant and walk away unscathed. These ground-dwelling insects are not ants, but parasitic wasps known for their excruciating stings. Now researchers have discovered that the wasps dont dole out pain the same way to all species. Different ingredients in their venom cocktail do the dirty work depending on whos at the business end of a wasps stinger, researchers report online January 6 in Current Biology.Velvet ants are among the most well-defended insects, wielding not just venom, but warning coloration and odor, an extremely tough exoskeleton and long stinger, and the ability to scream when provoked. In 2016, the entomologist Justin Schmidt wrote that getting stung by a velvet antfelt akin to hot oil from the deep fryer spilling over your entire hand. Scientists have found that other vertebrates react to the wasps sting too, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds.