no 



Marvels of Insect Life, 



P/!o/o by] 



The Ant-Lion. 



[H. Basiin. 



The ant-lion is the larval stage of a large, four-winged fly much like a dragon- 

 fly. Its habit of making pitfalls in loose, dry earth has long been known. 

 The excavation is made by going backwards in circles and pushing the sand 

 aside with its hind-body. In the photograph it is beginning the operation. 



source, on finrlinp: it'^elf '^lippinc: doMn the fntnl s 



Sinking the Pit. 



The ant-lion first strikes out a circular trench by working backwards and 

 using its hind-body as a ploughshare. In this way the circumference of the 

 pit is marked out. and by making successive rings inside this and throwing out 

 the sand by jerking the head, a conical pit is sunk. 



himself in the sand and onlv these 

 are exposed. At least, these are all 

 that show ; but at the base of each 

 mandible is a close cluster of six 

 simple eyes by whose aid the 

 creature knows when to act. 



Ants were thought to be the 

 rhief victims of this pitfall, but 

 other wingless Insects, as well as 

 spiders and wood-lice, are among 

 those that are seized by the points 

 of the mandibles and not released 

 until life has gone and little but 

 a dry skin is left. The head is 

 placed under it, and it is jerked 

 out of the way. Carcases of this 

 kind about the pit might awaken 

 the suspicions of other prospectors, 

 so they have to be hurled as far 

 away as the ant-lion's muscular 

 power will allow. 



Sometimes an Insect of re- 

 lope, will make a desperate effort to 

 regain the level ground above, but 

 this attempt is rarely successful, 

 lor the ant-lion, feeling the sand 

 roll down upon it in the centre, 

 hastily gets a heap of sand upon 

 its head and jerks it back into the 

 air. Though it cannot take aim, 

 M)me of the grains will almost 

 certainly fall upon its visitor, 

 (onf using him and bringing him 

 within reach of the mandible 

 T^oints. In this style of trapping 

 tlie ant-lion is occupied for two 

 N'cars, passing the winter in sleep, 

 buried at the bottom of its pit. 

 Some lucky days it has a succession 

 of victims and gorges on their 

 blood ; other days nothing chances 

 to topple over the brink. Through- 

 out all this period there is no 

 expulsion of waste from the crea- 

 ture's body — as a matter of fact 



