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Ant Lion

Distoleon tetragrammicus

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They reside in conical sand pits all over the earth - and live to snack on ants, junior crickets and even itty-bitty spiders! To make their trap, they spiral down into loose, dry sand, forming a convex cone that's at the perfect angle for the grains of sand to tumble down. It's one of the simplest, but most effective traps in the animal kingdom! If an ant wanders down into his pit, it's game over — as it's very hard to gain traction and ^GTFO. The ant lion, sensitive to the slightest disturbance, pops up out, shaking and causing a miniature avalanche, while throwing showers of sand into the air.



^{Image by Assianir}
They've got flat heads and spiky, hollow mandibles that inject venom into their prey - and enzymes to digest them! This is the stuff of ant nightmares. Its body is almond-shaped with bristles to help themselves stay anchored in the sand — and take on prey larger than themselves.

^{Image by Joseph Berger}

Fast Facts about the Ant Lion

If you've got a grudge against an ant lion, I've got you covered. These twerps are EASY to roast. Let's begin:

• The ant lion is only a larva. That means they're nuttin' but babies
• The ant lion doesn't have an... exit for waste... so for 30 to 45 days, they just hold it in! Then they USE that mess to build their cocoon
• "Ant lion" sounds all tough, but get this - they're also called "doodlebugs" because of the marks they leave in the sand
• Once they out grow their tough-guy stage, they turn into lacewings! They look like dragonflies, but they fly all awkward and clumsy. The adults prefer to come out at night, where there are fewer people are around to laugh at them

^{Image by Judy Gallagher}

Every now and then, the ant lion gets showed up by the parasitic female Chalcid wasp. It purposely allows itself to get caught by the ant lion, so she can stab him in the neck and insert wasp eggs in his neck! OHHH! That's got to hurt!

When the ant lion decides it's time to grow the heck up, it undergoes metamorphosis. Its cocoon is typically buried in the sand. It takes a month to make the transformation. Meanwhile, the ants are havin' a party with no one to wreck their fun.

Time's, ticking man! You've only got about a month left before you die!

The dorky-looking adult lacewing rises to the surface of the sand and opens its wings, flying off to look for some procreational activities. That's right, our hot-tempered little friend has set aside his murderous ways in order to find a hottie and raise a family... which is pretty noble, even for a former tough guy who now wears lace.