Antlion Larva

This listing is for antlion larvae which, versus adults, make far more interesting pets on account of the insect’s feeding behavior. They dig a crater in sand and then hide themselves beneath a layer of sand at the bottom. Any small insect that ventures to the crater’s edge falls into the antlion’s trap. Well before the insect has much of a chance to experience the avalanche of the sand as it tries to crawl out of the hole, the antlion has already sprung its scissor like trap-jaws. The prey will slowly be consumed over the period of a thousand or so years (no, wait, that’s Star Wars’ Sarlacc pit creature). Correction, the insect will be sucked dry and its remains hurled outside the cylinder cone of the pit as the larva continues to grow until the point of pupation, emerging eventually as an adult. The pupating antlion will not feed of course, and can be dug up or moved and reburied in a new container. When the adult antlion emerges, it will need a stick or other textured surface nearby to climb and unfurl its wings to dry and harden. The adults are also predatory and eat small insects.

Fun stuff, and nature continues to challenge the limits of the human imagination with ancient examples.

Adult antlions look a lot like dragonflies, except they fold their transparent wings over the backs like moths, while at rest. They also have longer antennae and don’t feed much as adults.

$4 each. Sizes vary.