Ant Lion |
As their name suggests, ant lions are small, yet fierce. They're not ants at all, but are one-eighth to one-half inch long larval forms of the adult lacewing insect, which resembles a damselfly. In dry soil, the ant lion digs a circular pit, up to an inch deep, and from a half inch to two inches across. It buries itself in the bottom of the pit, and waits for another insect to fall down the pit's steep sides. The shifting sand makes its hard for prey to climb out. Captured prey are injected with digestive fluid and eaten. As it completes its life cycle, the ant lion will make a small cocoon from which an adult will emerge.
Drawing of Ant Lion's pit |
The best place to observe ant lions is to locate a pit in dry soil beneath building eaves, window ledges, and the edges of raised classroom portables or playground slides. Once you've located a pit, drop in a little sand and watch the ant lion come out to tidy up its trap. Use a spoon to scoop up the pit, ant lion and all, and place the soil and insect in a glass jar. If not disturbed, the ant lion will rebuild its pit. After a day, return the contents of the container to the collection site. |
