Antlion

Antlions are a family of insects in the order Neuroptera, classified as Myrmeleontidae (sometimes spelled as Myrmeleonidae), from the Greek "myrmex", meaning "ant", and "leo(n)", meaning "lion"; the most known genus is Myrmeleo. Strictly speaking the term antlion applies to the larval form of the members of this family. Antlions are worldwide in distribution, most common in arid and sandy habitats, and can be fairly small to very large (wingspan range of 2-15 cm). Antlions are omnivorous. The antlion larvae eat ants and other insects, while the adult antlion eats pollen and nectar.

The antlion larva is often called a "'Doodlebug"'. One theory is that it gets this name from the odd winding, spiralling trails it leaves in the sand while looking for a good location to build its trap. These trails look like someone has doodled in the sand.

The adult antlion has two pairs of long, narrow, multi-veined wings in which the apical veins enclose regular oblong spaces, and a long, slender abdomen. Although they greatly resemble dragonflies or damselflies, they belong to an entirely different order of insects. Antlions are easily distinguished from damselflies by their longer, prominent, apically clubbed antennae and different pattern of wing venation. They also are very feeble fliers and are normally found fluttering about in the night, in search of a mate. The adult is rarely seen in the wild because it is typically active only in the evening.