Ant Lion Page

The walls of the pit are set at a steep, unstable angle. When an insect steps on the rim, the sand collapses, carrying the prey toward the bottom.

Though they look like "miniature monsters" as larvae, antlions eventually undergo a complete metamorphosis. ant lion

If the prey tries to climb out, the antlion flicks jets of sand at it to destabilize the walls and trigger mini-landslides that pull the victim back down. The walls of the pit are set at a steep, unstable angle

The antlion larva constructs its trap by moving backward in a spiral and flicking sand away with its head, creating a perfect cone-shaped funnel in loose, dry soil. the sand collapses