ANT LION ᐈ Photo and description ✔

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Insects

The antlion is an insect named for the predatory nature of its larva, which traps ants and other small insects in holes dug in the ground. Antlions are found throughout the world, mainly in dry, sandy regions. They are large, voracious insects from several different castes, with a hierarchy very similar to that of an ant.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Antlion

Antlions are a group of insects in the order Reticuloptera. Within this order, they are further classified into the Antlion family, which is of Greek origin from myrmex, meaning "ant", and leon, meaning "lion".

Video: Antlion

Technically speaking, the term "antlion" refers to the immature or larval stages of members of this family. Antlion larvae are predatory, while the adult stage feeds on nectar and pollen. The larvae are a voracious predator of ants and other small insects that become trapped in the constructed conical pits.

Fun Fact: Antlion larvae are also known as doodles. This nickname apparently refers to the winding paths that young larvae make through the sand while searching for a suitable location to build their larval home. The footprints look like someone was lounging in the sand. The larvae's home in the sand is also a new insect trap known as a pit.

Antlion larvae are one of the most interesting insect predators. They are found in the Galveston-Houston region, but not in abundance. Antlions are more common in areas with sandy soils.

Therefore, they are more often found in such places:

Piney Woods (East Texas);
Hill Country (central Texas);
in the central Texas Gulf Coast region.

Range and habitats

Insects are distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical regions; as you move north in the Northern Hemisphere and south in the Southern Hemisphere, the number of species decreases significantly. The common antlion is found throughout northern Eurasia. It usually lives in open sandy areas.

Appearance and features

Photo: What an antlion looks like

An adult antlion can be easily identified by its long antennae. He is a bad pilot, flying through the night air in search of a mate. The adult does not feed its young and has a relatively short lifespan of 20-25 days or longer (up to 45 days). Like all animals, without the mating imperative, the genes of this remarkable species will be lost forever. The most incredible part of its life cycle begins after the pregnant female lays her eggs in the sand, and after the immature larvae hatch from the eggs.

The antlion larva is a fearsome creature, its head has a very impressive and significant pair of sickle-shaped jaws (known as jaws), which are armed with numerous sharp, hollow protrusions. The mandibles have the function of piercing and sucking. Having captured the prey, the larva paralyzes it with poison injected during the first bite.

Additional digestive enzymes are introduced to break down the victim's internal tissues, and the larva then sucks out the vital juices. After consuming the liquefied contents of the victim's body, the antlion larva rather unceremoniously drags the lifeless, drained corpse out of the pit. After that, she rebuilds the hole again for the next unsuspecting victim.

The ability to subdue prey much larger than itself is partly due to the fact that the entire body of the larva is covered with stiff bristles, which helps anchor it to the sand while simultaneously counteracting the efforts of the fleeing prey. In fact, the bristles point forward, providing additional leverage to firmly anchor its body against the vigorous fighting of its prey. Fully developed, well-fed antlion larvae can grow up to 1.2 cm in length. An adult is 4 cm long.

Where does the antlion live?

Photo: Antlion in Russia

Antlions are found in limited areas throughout the Galveston-Houston region. They are most often found in areas of Texas with sandy soils. The antlion is just one of many strange creatures living in the southwestern United States. This is an amazing small insect that can be seen in the wild.

Although they live in a very competitive world, often in disturbed, urbanized areas, they are masters of survival in adverse conditions. If their small, crater-like traps in the sand are destroyed by wind, rain, animals or the popular two, three or four wheelers, they simply rebuild them and quietly await their next prey. In fact, it is this ingenuity and persistence that undoubtedly explains the survival of antlions over countless centuries.

Antlion larvae have been using this method of capturing prey for millions of years with little change. Like other amazing creatures, their instinctive behavior is genetically programmed, each new generation knowing exactly how to perform seemingly impossible tasks with precision and artistic beauty.

Now you know where the antlion is found. Let's see what he eats.

Literature

Zakharenko A.V., Krivokhatsky V.A. 1993. Reticulates (Neuroptera) of the European part of the former USSR. News of the Kharkov Entomological Society. 1(2), 34–83.
Krivokhatsky V. A. 2011. Antlions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) of Russia. St. Petersburg – M.: Partnership of Scientific Publications KMK, 1–334.
Krivokhatsky V.A., Zakharenko A.V. Antlions of the genera Euroleon and Kirghizoleon (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae) of the Palaearctic // Entomological Review, 1994, T.123, issue 3, pp. 690-699
Kovrigina A.M. Reticulates (Neuropteroidea) of the Middle Volga region // Entomological Review, 1978, T.57, issue 4, pp. 746-751
Puzanova-Malysheva E.V. Antlions and their hunting funnels // Tr. Institute of Evol., Phys. and patol. VND named after academician. I.P. Pavlova. 1947, T.1, pp. 259-284
Key to insects of the Russian Far East. T.IV, part 1. Under general ed. P.A. Lera. St. Petersburg: Nauka, 1995. – 606 p.
Key to insects of the European part of the USSR. T.IV, part 6. Bigwings, camels, lacewings, scorpion flies, caddis flies. L.: Nauka, 1987.
Botz, Jason T.; Loudon, Catherine; Barger, J. Bradley; Olafsen, Jeffrey S. & Steeples, Don W. (2003): Effects of slope and particle size on ant locomotion: Implications for choice of substrate by antlions. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 76
(3):426–435
Spahn, Mark & Hadamitzky, Wolfgang (2003): The Kanji Dictionary
. Tuttle. ISBN 0-8048-2058-9
Swanson, Mark (2007): The Antlion Pit – . Retrieved 2008-MAY-04.

What does an antlion eat?

Photo: Antlion in the sand

Antlion pits are shaped like an inverted cone. They are kept in dry places, protected from strong winds and bright sunlight. Pits are often built under the cover of outbuildings, under houses on piers, etc. and are usually between 2.5 and 5 cm in diameter and approximately the same depth. Some species of antlions also hide under debris or wood and attack passing insects.

The antlion larva waits at the bottom of its hole for an ant or other insect to slip on the loose sand and fall. The unsuspecting victim falls into the center of the pit and the antlion's feeding time begins.

Prey will often attempt to climb up the steeply sloping walls of the pit. Such desperate attempts to avoid circumstances are usually unsuccessful. The antlion larva quickly thwarts such escape attempts by shaking off streams of loose sand, which further destabilizes the pit wall and thereby draws prey down.

Features of pit architecture, such as diameter, slope and depth, influence success in capturing prey. Successful capture and consumption of prey depends on both the efficiency of capturing the prey (confrontation) and minimizing the likelihood that the prey will escape (retention). These two components must have selective consequences for the design of the trap. For example, increasing the diameter of the trap increases the probability of encounter, while a steeper slope and greater depth increase the probability of retaining prey.

The larvae feed primarily on ants, as well as other small insects that fall into the hole in addition to small spiders. Adult antlions feed on nectar and pollen.

Behavior

During the day, adults rest with folded wings in secluded places, on stumps and tree branches. They are very difficult to notice due to their nondescript appearance. They begin to be active at dusk.

Adults fly low and heavily, mainly along the edges of forests, gardens, parks and other green spaces. Very often they sit on plants and rest, getting tired during the flight. They become most active and visible at night. Like larvae, adults are convinced predators

They readily eat a variety of small insects, paying special attention to aphids, small flies and caterpillars.

During the mating season, antlions acquire a brutal appetite. Hungry females after mating often eat their lovers, as well as other males who happen to be near her. This way they acquire additional protein, which is necessary for laying eggs.

She makes a small hole in the lower part of her abdomen and, trembling her wings, lowers one egg into it using the ovipositor. Then she flies to another place and repeats the procedure.

The hatched larvae independently dig funnel-shaped holes, reaching up to 5 cm in depth and up to 8 cm in diameter. Their size largely depends on the size of the larva itself and the looseness of the soil. The young predator hides almost completely in its shelter, with only its wide-open jaws exposed above the surface. They blend into the sand and are completely invisible to the future victim.

When building a funnel, the larva, like a crayfish, moves backwards and quickly burrows into soft soil. Then, after a few minutes of rest, she crawls out, pushing grains of sand in all directions and using powerful movements of her head. Then she comes back, spinning in a circle.

It turns out something similar to spiral-shaped channels with a fixed center. At the end of the construction work, the larva sharply goes deeper into the sand, turning the spirals into a funnel.

Antlions are not territorial animals. Many hunters can peacefully settle nearby, reasonably believing that there is enough prey for everyone.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Antlion insect

Antlions are particularly notable for their ingenious traps and their clever way of outsmarting their prey by creating miniature landslides. Their traps must be effective because ants are numerous insects and have been around for millions of years.

Interesting fact: During the year of life, the larva collects hundreds of traps and catches hundreds of insects. And yet, when the timing is right, she instinctively knows how to build a protective cocoon under the sand, where she will gradually develop into a chrysalis and, ultimately, a winged adult. The sand cocoon, with its brilliant crystals of quartz, mica and feldspar, is a true work of art.

When the larva begins to dig a new hole, it moves slowly in a circle, shaking sand from the hole using its fangs and middle legs, while it uses its powerful hind legs to dig into the sand.

The hole gradually becomes deeper and deeper until the angle of inclination reaches the critical angle of repose (that is, the steepest angle that the sand can bear, where it is on the verge of breaking from a slight touch). When the hole is filled, the larva settles at the bottom, buried in the soil, with only the jaws protruding above the surface.

When an unfortunate ant unknowingly wanders into the hole and tries to escape, the antlion kicks the prey out with sand. By throwing out loose sand from the bottom of the hole, the larva also undermines the edges of the hole, causing them to collapse and bring prey with it. Thus, it does not matter whether the larva hits its prey with sand showers. In other words, no matter what the ant does, it is doomed to slide back into the jaws of death.

Behavior

During the day, adults rest with folded wings in secluded places, on stumps and tree branches. They are very difficult to notice due to their nondescript appearance. They begin to be active at dusk.

Like larvae, adults are convinced predators

They readily eat a variety of small insects, paying special attention to aphids, small flies and caterpillars.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Antlion

These insects undergo complete metamorphosis with the following stages:

egg;
larva;
chrysalis;
winged adult.

The larva is usually a grotesque, wingless creature with long, sickle-like jaws. Pupation usually occurs in a silken cocoon, however, the silk is not produced from modified salivary glands, as in most insects, but is produced by the Malpighian tubules and rotated from the anus.

Antlion larvae pupate in the soil. The adults are similar to dragonflies and damselflies, except that the antlion folds its wings back like a tent when resting. Later, the larva reaches its maximum size and undergoes metamorphosis, during which it develops into a winged adult.

The entire period from egg to adult can take two or three years. This unusually long life cycle can be explained by the uncertainty and irregular nature of food supplies. When it first hatches, the tiny larva specializes in very small insects, but as it grows larger, it creates larger holes and catches larger prey.

When fully grown, the larva constructs a spherical cocoon of sand grains cemented together with silk. Cocoons of the common variety in the southwestern United States are the same size and shape as large rabbit droppings and can be buried several inches deep in the sand. How the larva accomplishes this under the sand without any sand grains falling inside the cocoon is quite remarkable.

Fun Fact: Adults are rarely seen in the wild because they are mostly active in the evening. During the day, antlions rest, they are usually motionless and fairly well camouflaged with transparent wings and a brownish body. Additionally, unlike dragonflies, the antennae of adult antlions are quite prominent and end in a ball shape.

Antlion larva

The larvae of some species simply live in the sand, chasing various small animals there, but in others (M. formicarius and M. formicalynx) they dig a conical hole in the sand, throwing out the sand with their heads, and carrying larger pebbles and grains of sand on their backs. Having pulled out a funnel, which in adult larvae can reach 5 cm in depth and 7-8 cm in diameter, the larva buries itself in the sand in its center, exposing only its jaws, and waits for prey. Various insects, most often ants, as well as spiders and others, stepping on the edge of the funnel, roll down with sand inside it and are grabbed by the larvae.

If the insect is strong and energetically gets out of the funnel, the larva throws sand at it (it’s hard to say, deliberately or at random), throwing it out with sharp movements of its head (in a similar way, it removes sand that covers the funnel). The impact of grains of sand often knocks the victim off his feet, after which he rolls to the bottom of the trap. The larva plunges its sickle-shaped jaws into the prey and injects digestive juices under its covers, after which it sucks out the dissolved contents of the body and with a blow of its head throws out the empty chitinous exoskeleton from the funnel. Having reached full development, the larva makes a spherical cocoon in the sand using silky threads, transforms first into a pupa, and after four weeks into an adult insect, leaving the cocoon half extended from the sand. M. formicarius is black-gray with yellowish spots, the front wings have brown spots, the hind wings have one black spot; length 18-30 mm, length of the upper wing 27-36 mm; found throughout Europe except England and Sweden. M. formicalynx is black with an admixture of pale yellow, wings without spots, veins black and whitish, length 25-32 mm, length of the upper wing 30-45 mm. Common throughout Europe except Great Britain and the Iberian Peninsula.

Natural enemies of antlions

Photo: What an antlion looks like

The antlion larva is not free from predators, or at least from parasites. There is a parasitic wasp, Lasiochalcida pubescens, which uses its strong legs to hold the jaws of an antlion larva and lays eggs on the antlion larva. This is not the only parasitoid wasp that parasitizes antlions. The larvae of the Australian horsefly, Scaptia muscula, can also steal prey from antlion pits, a phenomenon known as kleptoparasitism.

Fungus can also grow on the bodies of antlions. This fungus, called Cordyceps japonensis Hara, produces spores that stick to the bodies of weakened antlions and grow, taking all the nutrition from the antlion hosts into the mushrooms. The antlion hosts gradually weaken, and by the time the parasitic fungi develop into mushrooms, the antlion hosts die.

Otherwise, antlions themselves are unsurpassed predators, capable of striking a prey without leaving it the slightest chance of survival. There are several species of antlions that also do not create these pits, such as Dendroleon pantherinus. They live in nicks and cracks in trees to ambush prey.

Classification

The closest modern relatives of antlions are considered to be Ascalaphus. Of the closely extinct groups known only from fossils, Babinskaiidae should be noted. These three clades are usually grouped into the superfamily Myrmeleontoidea.

Most genera and species of antlions are usually grouped into subfamilies. However, there are several genera (mostly fossils) that have not been assigned to any subfamily due to the uncertainty of their taxonomic position or their identification as basal members of the family. The classification of fossil antlions as a separate family Palaeoleontidae has not been applied in recent times.

The following is a list of subfamilies, indicating notable genera and species: