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
There truly are monsters among us.
ReplyDeleteThose things are creepy but awesome at the same time! I love that trap that the antlions make.
ReplyDeleteIts crazy what such little creatures can do. The way how they eat the ants is pretty scary.
ReplyDeleteThe ant lions are like tacticians carefully luring the ants into there doom with well hidden traps
ReplyDeleteI think this blog is fascinating. I had no idea a bug like this even existed, and it's amazing to understand the procedure and capabilities among them as to catching their prey and the way they KNOW how to build a trap. Feasting off of their own is interesting too, the majority of insects feast off of another insect, and the depth they go through to do it is crazy. I don't know if it would be extremely scary, but it would be amazing to get a close up picture whenever possible to see if they're identical to the ones on your background picture or if they're a different color or size. Otherwise, this blog is great and I look forward to reading more about these sneaky insects!
ReplyDeleteI never knew there was such thing as an antlion. Pretty scary knowing that these are underground and I never even knew.
ReplyDeleteI am the typical cry baby, screaming out of lungs type of girl when any type of bug is near me. I mean I can handle ants scrambling everywhere, but I don't think I can deal with bugs that are deadly. Since these bugs are deadly, have they ever been a problem for your family and your cats? Or do you mean deadly only towards other bugs? How big are antlions? How long have you had them in your backyard? Do they live in colonies? Is there a "queen bee" amongst them? Madison had mentioned how it's crazy that these bugs just know how to build their traps, and is it not quite mind blowing knowing that no one really knows why or how these bugs and other things just know what to do, like who comes up with this stuff? This project has really opened my eyes towards nature and has caused me to question a lot and leave me wanting to find out the answers to my questions, and I really hope it's doing the same for you. I am looking forward to the adventures the antlions are going to bring you.
ReplyDeleteThese insects are very interesting, and are kinda weird. They are predators and their way of Killy is very unusual, but is pretty cool. If I were to name the cone shaped pit, I'd probably name it the "death cone."
ReplyDeleteI never heard of antlions but gosh are they interesting! It's so cool how they get they're prey and they're just so
ReplyDeleteinteresting, I love what you're doing your blog on! I'd probably cry if I ever saw these creatures but I'm excited to see what your blog teaches not only you but me(:
It looks like you did some research, that's very good. Who knew bugs were smart to come up with such a contraption! I think it's weird but interesting, I learned something knew today!
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