Antlion

Antlion lacewings, also known as doodlebugs or doodleflies or simply antlions, are a family of insects in the order, Neuroptera with the scientific name Myrmeleontidae. The most well-known genus is Myrmeleo. There are about 2,000 species.

Antlions Temporal range: Mesozoic - Recent
Antlion
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Subclass:	Pterygota
Order:	Neuroptera
Superfamily:	Myrmeleontoidea
Family:	Myrmeleontidae

Description

Most people know this insect because of the funnel-shaped pit, up to 2 inches in diameter and depth, produced by the larval stages of this insect to trap ants. Larvae have globular abdomens and narrower, flattened heads bearing sickle-shaped jaws. Adults superficially resemble drab-colored, 1 ½ inch long damselflies with four long, narrow, net-veined wings roof-like held over a long, skinny abdomen when at rest. Unlike damselflies, however, ant-lion antennae are prominent and clubbed at the end.

Digestion

Antlions burrow in the ground, forming a pit for prey to fall into. The pit is angled so that the sides of the pit crumble when the victim tries to climb out.

Antlion Media

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  The life-cycle of Distoleon tetragrammicus

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  An antlion cocoon on the side of a house

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  Oedosmylus sp., Austin's Ferry Tasmania, Australia

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  Ditaxis biseriata (Mantispidae)-->

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  Rapisma sp., Ithonidae, photographed in Agumbe, Karnataka in Sept 2013.

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  Chrysoperla carnea (Chrysopidae)-->

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  Nymphes myrmeleonoides (3155078680) crop

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  Distoleon tetragrammicus, (Myrmeleontidae)-->

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  Libelloides coccajus (Ascalaphidae)-->

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  Myrmecoleon, from the Hortus Sanitatis of Jacob Meydenbach, 1491

• Video of antlion larva trying to catch prey with sand traps and eating a small spider

• Video of a larva trapping an ant by throwing sand at it