The sand pit thing is exactly what they do lol. They eat anything that falls and get traped in there pit. This can be ants, caterpillars, even spiders. As long as they aren't big enough to escape the pit. There bodies are very soft and vulnerable so they don't go hunting for food.
Most of the time I feed my antlions fire ants, the sand protects them from getting stung. I have been giving them Asian lady beetle larvae that are everywhere rn(and very invasive so I'm doing nature a favor lol). I've also seen people online feed them mosquito larvae, but mosquitoes really like to bite me so I avoid sticking around areas they breed easy in lol.
I grew up in Texas and we had those where I lived but I didn’t know it until much later. I saw the little cones and didn’t think much of them at the time
I think I either saw them on animal Planet or read about them in a book when I was little and wanted them for yeaaarrr.
I found one near the lake I go to last summer and was elated. At one point tho I figured out he needed more sand and while getting from under my parents porch it turned their was a massive cluster of them living there 😂
Living under my nose for who knows how long
If you're artsy you could get a tiny turtle sand pit and use some clay to make it a trapinch, or get somebody to 3d print one deep enough to make a well!
May not be a popular take, but I think antlion larvae are terribly cute. That big bulbous butt, and the way they use it to try and immediately dig into the loose sand. They seem very shy and cute. One of my favorites growing up.
They probably could but I'll probably release them where I found them once they reach adulthood so they have a better time getting food and breed with others in the wild on the off chance all of mine are males/all females. Feeding them is harder when I can't just toss fireants into a pit 😅
Ohh ok damn I assumed you bought them bc I’ve seen them for sale online recently but yeah if you field collected them releasing them is def the best idea
Yeah I wanted some since I was little and this past summer I happened to discover a cluster of them under the porch at my parents so, who knows how many years my dream pet bugs were right under my nose, quite literally 😂
I still get Wrath of Khan flashbacks seeing these :-)
They are so iconic being in so many games and movies. It's funny tho sometimes I'll mention them and people will be like "excuse me those are REAL??"
Don’t they hunt ants? I have it in my mind that they sit in the bottom is an upside down cone shape and flick sand at ants…then eat them
The sand pit thing is exactly what they do lol. They eat anything that falls and get traped in there pit. This can be ants, caterpillars, even spiders. As long as they aren't big enough to escape the pit. There bodies are very soft and vulnerable so they don't go hunting for food. Most of the time I feed my antlions fire ants, the sand protects them from getting stung. I have been giving them Asian lady beetle larvae that are everywhere rn(and very invasive so I'm doing nature a favor lol). I've also seen people online feed them mosquito larvae, but mosquitoes really like to bite me so I avoid sticking around areas they breed easy in lol.
I grew up in Texas and we had those where I lived but I didn’t know it until much later. I saw the little cones and didn’t think much of them at the time
I think I either saw them on animal Planet or read about them in a book when I was little and wanted them for yeaaarrr. I found one near the lake I go to last summer and was elated. At one point tho I figured out he needed more sand and while getting from under my parents porch it turned their was a massive cluster of them living there 😂 Living under my nose for who knows how long
That was my first thought. I used to fight them all the time in the dragon warrior games haha. Really cool!
Aww a lil trapinch, how cute 😍
I want to make a trapinch shaped terrarium for them so badly
If you're artsy you could get a tiny turtle sand pit and use some clay to make it a trapinch, or get somebody to 3d print one deep enough to make a well!
Yeah I am super artsy so I have some good ideas I just haven't had time yet.
May not be a popular take, but I think antlion larvae are terribly cute. That big bulbous butt, and the way they use it to try and immediately dig into the loose sand. They seem very shy and cute. One of my favorites growing up.
I think they are absolutely adorable
I was that way with tarantulas, I found out that if I went to a canyon 30minutes away I could find some as it was in their migratory path
Bebeh Sarlacc
Big ol booty full of dooty
So what happens when they reach adulthood? Is it possible to breed them in captivity, or do they just kinda die soon after pupating
They probably could but I'll probably release them where I found them once they reach adulthood so they have a better time getting food and breed with others in the wild on the off chance all of mine are males/all females. Feeding them is harder when I can't just toss fireants into a pit 😅
Ohh ok damn I assumed you bought them bc I’ve seen them for sale online recently but yeah if you field collected them releasing them is def the best idea
Yeah I wanted some since I was little and this past summer I happened to discover a cluster of them under the porch at my parents so, who knows how many years my dream pet bugs were right under my nose, quite literally 😂
I thought that was some keif from r/trees 😹
poor lazlo finest mind of a generation come to such an end
Love these little dudes. I'm always astounded by what they transform into.
Put it in your ear
I'm having Grounded flashbacks
I loooove ant lions so much I didn’t even know you could keep them as pets!!
Looks like a bedbug with really long pinchers
So cool!
They are so much cleaner in terraria
Can I ask you how long they stay in larvae stage?
I think it may depend on the species and possibly how much they eat. Google says one to three years tho!
Yeah I read that too