Do you think........

[stonyloam]

I have too much time on my hands? Went on an antlion hunt today and had a major success. Dug up this little beauty (eye of the beholder). Thought about taking it inside, but decided to make a new home for it outside.



Got some fresh sand and in the true Disney tradition established a theme park. It is down there right about in the middle, buried itself in abut two minutes. I’ll get a couple more pix after it digs its new pit. In the meantime…. gotta find more….



Like I said…. Too much time????

[adamanteus]

Definitely too much free time! Or perhaps I'm just jealous! Can you post a pic of what they turn into, Terry?

[drache]

Mikhaila wants to hang out with you, I think
she made a veggie shake for her new snail pets today

[stonyloam]

"Can you post a pic of what they turn into, Terry?"
I would, except I'm not sure what they turn into anymore. I used to think crainflies, then lacewings or dobsonflies, but those were wrong too, but I think I know what they look like, and they hang around under the lights at night sometimes. If I see one will try to get a pix.

[stonyloam]

Found a second, and got a little better pix. Nasty looking little critters, I just love them.

[Odie]

What the heck is it

[stonyloam]

Odie: They are the larva of a rather primitive insect of the order Neuroptera. These are the most primitive insects that go through a complete metamorphosis. The adults look kinda like a dragonfly or damselfly, but are not. The larva live in the ground and dig pits in loose sandy soil. The antlion lives in the bottom of the pit and when an ant comes along and falls in the sides are too loose for the ant to crawl out (along with the fact that the antlion flicks sand onto the ant as it is trying to climb out). When the ant winds up at the bottom of the pit it is dinner. They can be good pets, cus they don’t go anywhere. You can keep one in a bowl of sand and just drop in a couple of ants each day and they do just fine. I found a couple yesterday and fixed up a little spot outside for them. Dug up some loose dirt next to the house and replaced it (twice) with a fine sand mixture and just dropped them on top. They play dead for a while and then down they go. They dug the new pits below during the night. http://www.antlionpit.com/ is a pretty good site to visit. They are pretty easy to find, just look for the pits in a sheltered sandy place. I catch them by just blowing the sand away (A McDonalds straw should work fine for this) to expose the little guy. They are just about my favorite insect (next to bees).

[ScimitarX]

oh wow, it looks like a very cool little bug, kinda cute too

[GarterGirl]

Thats cool!
I want one! how small are they?
They look pretty small to me!

[stonyloam]

I am glad you all like them, they are really cool! Mikhaila: they are about the size of your little fingernail (9 year old girl size), and some get as large as ½ inch long. You might be able to find one. I have seen them alongside of city sidewalks, and under trees along factory fences. A park with a sandy area under the trees is a good place to look. Just look for the little pit (kinda like a reverse anthill). One of mine made a big move (about an inch) today and is digging a new pit. They spiral in as they dig (that’s why they are called doodlebugs) the one below is at 2:00 o’clock on the outside spiral. Good luck