Fun Animal Fact: Antlion larvae dig sand traps to catch and eat ants!

𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹: 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
𝚂𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌 𝙽𝚊𝚖𝚎: 𝘔𝘺𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘦

Found on nearly every continent and in every country, antlions are a very prolific & notorious species of net-winged insects. Most people know this fascinating invertebrate for the unique hunting tactic it uses during its larval form, which is much different than the pollinating adults. Antlion larvae are carnivorous, so to find food, they dig pits in loose sand in hopes of trapping unsuspecting insects that stumble too close.

Using their massive curved mandibles, the young larvae fling sediment & sand out of a small area until a proper pit is dug, at which point, they will burrow into the center and simply wait for their quarry.

They can feed on a variety of insects, but obviously ants are a common meal for these insatiable larvae.

Once an ant does fall into the pit, the loose grains of sand make it impossible for them to gain any traction to climb out, and the ants frantically—and futilely—just claw at the wall of the pit.

All this commotion summons the beast, which bursts from its burial in the sand and quickly subdues the ant by grabbing & sinking its massive mandibles into its prey. As they pierce into the helpless ant, venom & digestive enzymes are pumped in to help aid in consuming the meal. The ant is then finally dragged beneath the sediments to be slowly slurped up by the hungry antlion.

To me, these real-life Sarlacc pits have one of the coolest hunting methods of any invertebrate, and it’s def on my bucket list to see one in action in person.
In Australia, had seen their classic pits often, but never witnessed any or any ambushes on a poor, unsuspecting ant.

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