Ant Lion
Ant Lion, an insect whose larva preys chiefly on ants. The adult ant lion has a slender body from two inches (5 cm) to more than three inches (7.5 cm) long. It has two pairs of long, slender wings. Its antennae are short and thin with knobs on the ends. The larvae, also called doodlebugs, have flat bodies that taper toward the back. The ant lion passes its pupal stage in a round cocoon.
The ant lion larva digs a funnel-shaped pit in sand or other loose soil and hides at the bottom of the pit. When an ant or other small insect falls into the pit, the ant lion seizes it with its strong jaws.
There are several hundred species of ant lions widely distributed over the world. In the United States, they are found mostly in the South and Southwest.
Ant lions make up the family Myrmeleontidae of the order Neuroptera.