I was out in the backyard the other day and came across this enormous (maybe three inches long?) adult Antlion sitting on a weathered board. It was an absolutely beautiful insect. A long, elegant creature, with wings like lace.
The larval form of these is more well-known than the adult. The larvae dig conical pit-traps in sandy or dusty areas, then catch ants that slip and fall into the traps.
One of the striking things about this Antlion (besides its massive size) was the way she held her antennae out in front of her head. She held them in line with her body, but with a symmetrical curve. They look a lot like mandibles to me.
I wonder if these antennae help the Antlion mimic Dobsonflies. Dobsonflies, or Hellgramites, are large, distasteful Megalopterans. The females have large jaws that can give you a painful nip, and the males have big, almost antler-like, mandibles.
The sizes, shapes and coloration of the two critters is similar…mimicry might help explain why the Antlion holds her antennae this way. Maybe this resemblance is strong enough to make a predator pause for just…that…one…moment that allows her to fly away from a threat?
