Antlions, oh my...

Antlion adult collected by Dušan Devetak.

The larvae of most antlion species (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) are sand-dwelling insects, but only a few of them construct conical pits in dry, loose sand to capture prey. While antlion larvae feed on a variety of arthropods, ants usually constitute the majority of prey items. The pit is an efficient trap, with slopes steep enough to guide the prey to the antlions waiting mandibles, and shallow enough to avoid the likelihood of avalanches. The larvae have large mandibles with which to grab the prey when they fall into the pit. The adults of antlions are short-lived relative to the larvae and are lacey-winged with long antennae and abdomen.