Antlion ( Larva )

Description:

Larva: I went to a park, that was near my house. The park was covered with white sand. The park, and all around the park, was covered with white sand. I walked around the park, looking for insects to photograph. I looked down, and I noticed some small holes in the sand. In one of these holes, I saw some type of larva. After looking on my computer, I decided this was an Antlion larva. This species of larva, made pits in the sand, to trap ants and other prey. The color of this larva, was different shades of brown. The Antlions, are a group of about 2,000 species of insects, in the Family: Myrmeleontidae. Order: Neuroptera. Neuroptera: "net-winged" insects. The Antlion larva, is ferocious-looking, with a fusiform body, a plump abdomen, and a thorax, bearing three pairs of walking legs. The prothorax, forms a slender "neck", for the large, square, flattened head, which bears an enormous pair of sickle-like jaws, with several, sharp, hollow projections. The larva, is clad in forward-pointing bristles. Antlion larvae, are ambush predators. When the larva, attains its maximum size, it pupates. The Antlion larva, is a voracious predator. The larvae, pupates in a sand-covered cocoon, during the spring. Antlion, is the common name, for the insect larva, that digs a funnel-shaped pitfall, in fine, loose sand, and lies in wait, at the bottom of the pit, for its prey. Antlions, of all species, are incapable of walking forward. There are 22 species of Antlions, in Florida.

Habitat:

Antlions, can be found worldwide. The greatest diversity of Antlions, occur in the Tropics. Antlions, most commonly occur in dry and sandy habitats, where the larvae, can easily dig there pits. Some larvae hide under debris, or ambush there prey among leaf litter. Antlions live in a range of usually dry habitats, including open woodland floors, scrub-clad dunes, hedge bases, river banks, road verges, under raised buildings, and in vacant lots. Antlion larvae, require loose soil, often sand. The larvae, prefer dry places, protected from the rain. The larva, conceals itself under leaves, debris, pieces of wood, hides in a crack, or digs a funnel-shaped pit, in loose material.

Notes:

I went to a park, that was near my house. The park was covered with white sand. The park, and all around the park, was covered with white sand. I walked around the park, looking for different insects to photograph. I looked down, and I noticed some small holes in the sand. In one of the holes, I saw some type of larva. After looking on my computer, I decided this was an Antlion larva. This species of Antlion larva, made pits in the sand, to trap ants and other prey. The Antlion, is in the Order: Neuroptera. Family: Myrmeleontidae.