Velvet Ant

Shortly after my last post, I learned what the strange bug was. It's called a velvet ant, but it's actually a wingless, female wasp they preys on other insects, bees, and wasps. It is also known by the names "cow killer" and "mule killer." They say it can hurt a man pretty bad.

I was fishing with my kids when my wife spotted it on the shore. Glad I didn't try to pick it up and use it as bait.

Check these links out:
Velvet Ant
http://entowww.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg344.html
http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/inverts/dasymutilla.html
http://ag.arizona.edu/urbanipm/insects/bees/velvetants.html