Lev. But it is not easy, and the ant

Ant lion - insects belonging to the order Neuroptera. But of particular interest is not the adult, like a dragonfly larva as ant lion that resembles tick and is quite predatory lifestyle.
10 ph via p-i-f.livejournal.com





Talking about the ant lion, many primarily involve its larvae, not the adult who does not boast outstanding.



Wingless antlion larva looks a bit like a tick on the head of which there are powerful jaws. Adult has an elongated slender body with long thin transparent wings, covered with a dense network of veins.



Lives "lion" in the sandy areas, where it is the larva digs for himself a house trap, is a large crater with a depth of 5 cm and a diameter - 7-8 cm. The larva buries his body in the center of the funnel so that the surface remains only its huge jaws.



They eat mostly ants, but the trap can also get other small insects and spiders. Once a victim has set foot on the edge of the crater, the sand begins to sag under it, carrying insect. It is for the "lion" a kind of signal. If the victim is still in the funnel, but can still be kept on its walls, the larva begins to shoot her in the sand. Thus, it not only gets rid of the sand just arrived, but throws these "shots" insect. It begins to slide down and is in the tenacious jaws of the larvae of which do not get. Ant Lion can keep production exceeding it in size.



With the jaws of the lion ant injects poison into the victim's body and digestive juices, and waits for the inner content production is not digested. Then the larva slowly sucks out all the content and pelt throws.



In this form, i.e. in the larval stage, ant lions live for several years. And only 3-4 years transformed into an adult. With the onset of the changes, the larva begins to weave a cocoon around itself spherical. In it she is undergoing transformation from larva to pupa, and a month later - in the adult insect.



Ant lion is found in sandy areas of our vast country, as well as throughout Europe, except England, Sweden and Spain.



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