Antlion (family Myrmeleontidae)

InsectPredatorTrap-builder

Overview

Antlions (family Myrmeleontidae) are insects famous not for the adult but for the ingenious, fearsome larva. The adult antlion is a slender, delicate, lacewing-like insect with long, net-veined wings and clubbed antennae, often active at dusk and easily mistaken for a damselfly or lacewing. The larva, by contrast, is a squat, bristly, big-jawed ambush predator — and in many species it builds one of the most remarkable traps in the insect world.

These larvae, nicknamed “doodlebugs” for the meandering trails they leave in sand, dig steep-sided conical pits and lie buried at the bottom, waiting for ants and other small insects to slip in — then seize them with huge, sickle-shaped jaws.

Note: “antlion” covers a family; details here describe the group broadly (not all antlion larvae build pits). Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Antlions are found across much of the world, especially in warm, dry regions. The pit-building larvae need loose, dry, fine soil or sand sheltered from rain and wind — under overhangs, beneath trees, at the base of walls, and in other sandy, sheltered spots — where their funnel traps will hold their shape. The winged adults are found in similar areas, often resting in vegetation by day.

Diet

Antlion larvae are carnivores that prey on ants and other small ground-dwelling insects and invertebrates. A pit-building larva waits buried at the bottom of its trap and seizes prey that tumbles in with its large jaws, through which it injects digestive juices and then sucks out the liquefied contents. Adult antlions are short-lived; depending on the species they may feed lightly on pollen and nectar or take small insects, with the main feeding and growth happening during the long larval stage.

Behavior

The pit-trap is the antlion larva's masterpiece. It digs a steep, conical pit in loose sand by crawling backwards in a spiral and flicking out soil with its head, then buries itself at the bottom with only its jaws exposed. When an ant blunders over the edge, the loose, sloping walls collapse under it, and the larva may even fling sand to trigger further slides, dragging the victim down. The larva is also notable for crawling backwards (hence the “doodlebug” trails) and for having no connected rear opening during the larval stage, storing waste until it emerges as an adult. After a larval life that can last a year or more, it spins a spherical silk cocoon in the sand and pupates, emerging as the delicate winged adult that flies, mates, and lives only a short time.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Antlions are harmless to people and are a favourite of curious children and naturalists, who often discover the little funnel pits in dry, sandy, sheltered ground and watch the “doodlebug” at work. Ecologically they help control ants and other small insects. They are widespread and not generally of conservation concern, though like all insects they depend on suitable habitat. Consult authoritative sources for details on specific species.

More photos of the antlion