An ant that disappears into the forest floor, a bird that demands attention from mates—for these animals, an inky black ...

Lopez's team was trying to uncover different mechanisms for color production in insects when it realized the velvet ant was unique. A closer inspection of its exoskeleton revealed that under a ...

Velvet ants in general are quite colorful, often with bright scarlet or orange patches, as well as silver, gold or white, usually with contrasting black patches. Their vibrant coloring serves as a ...