velvet ant
A wingless wasp that resembles an ant; known for its painful sting. The Japanese name literally means 'ant bee'.
蟻蜂は見た目がアリに似ているが、実はハチの仲間だ。
The velvet ant looks like an ant, but it is actually a type of wasp.
Standard kanji spelling for this insect name.
Compound of 蟻 (ari, 'ant') and 蜂 (hachi, 'bee, wasp'), referring to its ant-like appearance and wasp classification.