Dasymutilla bioculata
This record describes Dasymutilla bioculata (species). Recorded family: Mutillidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Females | No tubercles on posterolateral angles of head. Thorax longer than broad, with a scutellar scale and transverse carina anterior to it. Pygidium longitudinally striate. Color variable. |
| Males | Color variable, dorsum of head and mesosoma with black or orange setae, or a mix. Variation of metasomal setae ranges from black to orange. Second tergite with orange/yellow maculae posteriorly. Clypeus weakly bidentate. A pit filled with setae may or may not be present on the second sternite. Males will likely pose a problem when identifying from photos, especially specimens that are entirely black except for the second tergite. Many eastern species have males with this coloration, such as D. quadriguttata and D. vesta . |
Wikipedia reference for Dasymutilla bioculata: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasymutilla_bioculata.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Pompiloidea
- Family
- Mutillidae (Velvet Ants)
- Subfamily
- Sphaeropthalminae
- Tribe
- Dasymutillini
- Genus
- Dasymutilla
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Dasymutilla bioculata (Cresson 1865)
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Dasymutilla bioculata. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Dasymutilla bioculata (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joel Kits; Additional contributions by cotinis , waspGeorge , v belov