Antlion ( Adult )

Description:

Common name: Antlion Other names: Doodlebug Order: Neuroptera Family: Myrmeleontidae Adult size: ( length ) 20 mm. to 40 mm. Identifying colors: Black, white, gray, and brown. General description: Pointy, speckled, tail, long, shiny, flying, and dragonfly-like. Antlions get there name, thanks to the diet of there larvae. A small Antlion larva, is also known as a 'doodlebug'. Doodlebugs, are ground dwellers, and have a huge set of imtimidating jaws. These small larvae look like beetles, but they can only walk backwards! Adult Antlions, are nocturnal. They may eat nectar and pollen. Adults can be found at night, in tall grasses, and in open habitats. There larvae can be found in open fields of sandy soil, at the base of trees, on the dusty floors of barns or sheds, or under rock ledges. Both life stages, are most active in spring and summer. The adult has two pairs of long, narrow, multi-veined wings, in which the apical veins, enclose regular oblong spaces, and a long, slender abdomen. They have two, apicaly clubbed antennae, which are about as long as head and thorax combined. Antlion ( family Myrmeleontidae), any of a group of insects ( order Neuroptera ), that are named for the predatory nature of the larva, which traps ants and other small insects, in pits dug into the ground. Antlions, are found throughout the world, primarily in dry, sandy regions. Neuroptera ( Lacewings, Antlions, and Relatives ). All Neuropteran larvae are predators. Curved, lancelike jaws, project prominently from the head. Larvae, are active and possess legs on the thorax, but no prolegs on the abdomen. Antlions, go through complete metamorphosis.

Habitat:

The adult Antlion, was resting on a concrete wall, on the outside of my house. Antlions, are found throughout the world, primarily in dry, sandy regions.

Notes:

I went outside at 7:00 a.m. in the morning. I saw an adult Antlion, resting on a concrete wall, on the outside of my house. It had six legs, and two, compound eyes. It had two, long antennae. It's legs were black and brown in color. It had four, transparent wings. Two wings were brown and black in color, and two wings, were black and gray in color. All four wings were transparent, and full of veins. It's long, thin abdomen, was black in color, and was divided into segments. It's long, thin abdomen, was longer than its wings. There were some light brown coloring, on its long, thin abdomen, near some of the abdominal segments. It looks like this insect, had only three wings? This insect was alive, and able to fly. The two long antennae, was black and brown in color. It had two, large, black compound eyes, and a black head. It had a head, thorax, and an abdomen.