Earth's version of the Sarlac monster
Jun 17, 2022 14:24:01 #
I have very few black ants in my house; here's why. Photo 1 shows the soil around my foundation covered with hundreds of these inverted cones/pits. The quarter is to show scale. These are the traps of the Ant Lion who burrows into the soil and then flicks his head to throw the soil up and out. The sides of the pit are constructed at the "angle of repose" which is the steepest you can pile dirt up, without it collapsing in on itself. A hapless and falls into the pit and as it tries to scramble out, the sides collapse and the ant falls to the bottom of the pit.
Photo 2 shows what awaits the ant in the soil underneath the bottom of the pit. The Ant Lion is about the size of a big sunflower seed with some serious pincers that reach up through the dirt, grabbing the ant and pulling it underground for a meal. Does anyone remember in "Star Wars Return of the Jedi" the pit in the desert with the Sarlac monster waiting for a prisoner of Jobba the Hut to be thrown in?
Needles to say, I go through great pains not to disturb what I refer to as the "ant mine field" hidden behind my shrubs.
Photo 2 shows what awaits the ant in the soil underneath the bottom of the pit. The Ant Lion is about the size of a big sunflower seed with some serious pincers that reach up through the dirt, grabbing the ant and pulling it underground for a meal. Does anyone remember in "Star Wars Return of the Jedi" the pit in the desert with the Sarlac monster waiting for a prisoner of Jobba the Hut to be thrown in?
Needles to say, I go through great pains not to disturb what I refer to as the "ant mine field" hidden behind my shrubs.
Jun 17, 2022 14:34:46 #
When I was young, we called them doodle bugs and we would take a piece of pine straw and move around until they would latch onto the pine straw.
Jun 17, 2022 17:32:17 #
Jun 17, 2022 17:48:30 #
Jun 18, 2022 05:51:01 #
One thing I learned on this site is the Antlion that you showed is the larval stage. This is the adult.
One of many species of coarse/
One of many species of coarse/
Jun 18, 2022 08:12:24 #
Jun 18, 2022 08:35:50 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
cedymock wrote:
When I was young, we called them doodle bugs and we would take a piece of pine straw and move around until they would latch onto the pine straw.
Different critter. Your’re f preferring to a pill bug.
Stan
Jun 18, 2022 08:38:04 #
Yes, those creatures are amazing. I have them around here, too. I've never seen a bug get caught, though.
Jun 18, 2022 09:00:59 #
Jun 18, 2022 09:19:07 #
Jun 18, 2022 09:59:48 #
StanMac wrote:
Different critter. Your’re f preferring to a pill bug.
Stan
Stan
Think you may want to google doodle bug.
Jun 18, 2022 10:09:05 #
cedymock wrote:
Think you may want to google doodle bug.
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALiCzsbXtr1Pfo88RQfNR6jNormiLdtnrQ:1655561275999&q=Doodlebug+Bike&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1#imgrc=giRsPTeUSl2S0M
Jun 18, 2022 11:43:57 #
fourlocks wrote:
I have very few black ants in my house; here's why... (show quote)
I see that you caught one. Hard to do. I've tried many times and missed. It's cool to actually see one.
Jun 18, 2022 12:18:35 #
jerryc41 wrote:
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALiCzsbXtr1Pfo88RQfNR6jNormiLdtnrQ:1655561275999&q=Doodlebug+Bike&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1#imgrc=giRsPTeUSl2S0M
Doodle bug insect, Jerry.
Jun 18, 2022 12:34:20 #
cedymock wrote:
Doodle bug insect, Jerry.
Well, there's doodlebugs and then there's doodlebugs.
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