Gregarious Antlion

Description:

a delicate, medium sized Antlion (wingspan 70mm, body length 40mm), recognized by the blue iridescence and the distinct white wing spot on each wing. The thorax is yellow with black markings, the abdomen is dark while the legs are yellowish in colour. Antlions behave like soft, floppy dragonflies although they are more closely related to Lacewings being members of the Order Neuroptera. They tend to bumble around flying into objects. The short club ended antennae are typical of their family, the Myrmeleontidae.

Habitat:

Attracted to the lights in a small rural shop in a hot, dry bushveld region with erratic summer rainfall (450mm)

Notes:

Antlions get there name from the character and behavior of the larvae which are soil dwelling. The larvae typically construct an inverted, conical or funnel-shaped trap in the soft soil surface and position themselves below the apex. Unsuspecting ants fall into the trap and cannot escape because of the angle of the slope and the looseness of the substrate. The larvae are equipped with voracious jaws which they hold uppermost just below the surface and grab the trapped prey.