Velvet Ants of North America is a beautiful photographic guide to the species of the wasp family Mutillidae found in the United States and Canada. Featuring hundreds of full-colour photos, it covers nearly 460 species – representing more than 9 per cent of all velvet ant species, which number in the thousands worldwide – providing comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of this spectacular group of insects. This one-of-a-kind guide serves as an invaluable reference for naturalists, scientific researchers, museum specialists, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Kevin A. Williams is an insect pest identifier for the California Department of Food and Agriculture and a leading authority on velvet ants. Aaron D. Pan is executive director of the Museum of Texas Tech University. His research interests range from mimicry within velvet ants to the evolution of prehistoric African forests. Joseph S. Wilson is associate professor of biology at Utah State University and an expert on the evolution and ecology of bees and wasps. His books include Common Bees of Western North America (Princeton).