10 Facts about Antlions

Thursday, March 5th 2015. | Animals


Facts about Antlions tell you about an ant lion or ant-lion in the family of Myrmeleontidae. There are 2,000 species of insects included in this family. The adult Antlions can reach the length of 4 cm. It comes in the length of 1.2 cm when it grows into a predatory larva. The people in North America call the Antlions larva doodlebug. Get more facts about Antlions below:

Facts about Antlions 1: the habitat

Antlions can be seen in the sandy and arid areas.  But you can find them in cold temperature areas.. The wingspans can reach 2 till 15 cm.

Facts about Antlions 2: the food

The main food eaten by the Antlions larvae is the small arthropods. The small pollen and nectar are the main food for the adults. Other Antlions like to eat the small arthropods. Get facts about ants here.

Facts about Antlions

Facts about Antlions

Facts about Antlions 3: the body shapes of adult Antlions

The adults Antlions have the multi veined wings. The abdomen is long and slender. You can find the regular oblong spaces are enclosed the apical veins.

Facts about Antlions 4: the resemblance

When you see the Antlions, the body shape reminds you with the damselflies or dragonflies. You can differentiate it by seeing the clubbed antennae of the Antlions. The length of the antennae is similar with the combined length of the thorax and head.

Antlions Pic

Antlions Pic

Facts about Antlions 5: the feeble fliers

People always call Antlions as the feeble fliers. They will search for a mate at night.  Most adult Antlions are very active when the evening comes, but you can hardly see them in the wild.

Facts about Antlions 6: the owl flies

The owlflies which have the Latin name Ascalaphidae are the closest living relative of Antlions. Another related animal was Babinskaiidae. It was extinct long time ago.

Antlions Facts

Antlions Facts

Facts about Antlions 7: the meaning of Antlions

Let’s find out the meaning of Antlions. Actually there is no exact meaning for this word. But people assume the word lion in Antlions is used to show that this animal is an eater or destroyer.

Facts about Antlions 8: how do people call Antlions?

People have their own way when they want to call Antlions. Yaholla is the Cherokee Native American word for Antlions.

Antlions Behavior

Antlions Behavior

Facts about Antlions 9: the ant demon

The Antlions is referred to ant demon by the people who live in East Asia.

Facts about Antlions 10: other names

The Antlions are called in other names in different countries based on their behavior. In Malay word, it is called undur-undur. In Sinhala, it is called bingundha which means tunnel digger.

Antlions Adult

Antlions Adult

What do you think on facts about Antlions?


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