Antlions, also known as the 'Dooldebug' feast on helpless ants. These deadly, well-hidden creatures build traps in a funnel-like cone shape in soft dirt. It's easy for antlions to go unnoticed because most don't expect a bug underneath the funnel death trap holes in the ground. An antlion will build the trap and wait for an ant to tumble in, where the ant is consumed by it's predator. The antlion beneath the ground literally kicks up dirt onto the ant, grabs hold of it, and pulls it down underground. It's unfortunate for the ant, but a great treat for the hungry antlion.
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| Taken 9/14. My front yard. |
Example of how the antlion and the funnel death trap works. The top of the hole is where an ant falls to it's doom. The antlion waits patiently for it's meal.
Picture background credits :
http://pi.b5z.net/i/u/995619/i/dwightantlion6_ezr.jpg
