question 3 photo by Mike May

How do antlions (family Myrmeleontidae) get their name?
  1. Adult antlions aggressively attack ant colonies, devoring all the ants that come out to protect the colony.
  2. Antlion larvae live in ant colonies and feed on unsuspecting ants.
  3. Adult antlions, like damselflies, are skillful fliers and prey frequently on flying ants.
  4. Antlion larvae sometimes conceal themselves at the bottom of pitfalls, eating ants and other insects that unwittingly fall into the trap.

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