Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing antlions. There are just some animals on this earth that seem better suited for a horror novel than actual real life and today’s subjects are no exception. The name “antlion” is actually in reference to the larval stage of these arthropods, but we think it’s important to note that perhaps for the first time ever on this show we’ve come across an animal that has the same common and scientific name! They’re not like literally the exact same, but the family name for antlions means antlion! Considering these are neither ants nor lions, though, it’s not exactly the most descriptive name in terms of what they look like; it does, however, give an all right picture of what they do.

Antlions live throughout most of the world though are most abundant in warmer areas. They can be found in open forests, scrublands, river banks, and around human made structures like along roadways and under buildings. There are approximately 2,000 living species. In size, the larvae are under an inch (2.54cm) in length while the adults can reach 3 inches (7.62cm) long. The adults have hockey-stick shaped antennae that end in clubs as well as transparent wings. They look somewhat similar to the adult forms of dobsonflies, though adult antlions don’t have the large mandibles and heads of dobsonfly adults. Antlion larvae are bulbous and covered in tiny hair-like structures which help them detect prey. Adult antlions do eat things such as pollen, nectar, and small flies, but their lives in this stage are short and more focused on reproduction. As adults, antlions only survive for about a month. They’ll come together, mate, sometimes with males hanging suspended from their lovers by only their genitals, lay their eggs if they're females, and then move on and shortly pass away. Antlion larvae, on the other hand, can live up to three years buried in the soil!

Antlion females lay their eggs where their young will eventually dig their homes. For many, this is in the sand, though some antlion larvae may live in leaf litter or tree holes. Antlion larvae are also known as doodlebugs because they’ll make doodle-like tracks in the sand before settling into a burrow. Doodlebug is another common name for roly polies, so we’ll stick with antlion to keep things simple. Antlions can only move backwards, so they’ll move around booty first until they find a good spot to start digging. The larvae will move in circles, tossing out sand or soil until they’ve formed a perfect pit trap. The sides of the trap are angled so that they are strong enough to hold themselves up but weak enough that any movement will cause the soil to cascade towards the center and right towards the open mandibles of the antlion larvae. If that’s not enough, the antlion larvae will toss up sand or soil to help facilitate the prey item’s fall. It’s nearly impossible for insects to escape from this pit after they’ve fallen in, though some, like the trapjaw ant seen here, have devised methods of escape. Antlion larvae mostly eat ants, hence their common name, but they’ll also take other arthropods. What’s fascinating is that antlions don’t have normal mouths. They’ll inject their prey with digestive juices not unlike a spider and once those enzymatic juices have done their job, the antlion larvae sucks up the liquids. What’s even crazier is that antlion larvae don’t have a way to excrete solid wastes, so they’ll just store up their poop until they eventually pupate into adults at which point the adults emerge and let loose.

It takes about three weeks for an antlion larva to pupate and this is usually completed at the bottom of their pits, or wherever else is appropriate if they aren’t a pit building species. The adults emerge and are about as clumsy as crane flies in their flight patterns. Adult antlions are mostly nocturnal, so they’re rarely seen. It’s the pit-building larvae that catch our eyes! While they may be the things of nightmares, antlions themselves are likely eaten by bats, small mammals, and other inquisitive arthropods. But still, if I ever come across a large circular pit in a vast desert, there’s no way you’ll convince me to slide down and find out what’s at the bottom!

For more facts on antlions, check out the link in the description. Thank you to Jacob for today’s request! Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!