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Ant-Lion or Ant-Lion Fly common name for an insect that digs a funnel-shaped pitfall trap in fine, loose sand and lies in wait at the bottom for its prey, which consists of ants and other insects that tumble into the pitfall. Hundreds of ant-lion species are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world. More than 50 North American species are known, some of which are common in the southern United States. A full-grown ant-lion is about 1 cm (0.4 in) long and has large, powerful jaws. It pupates in a sand-covered cocoon during the spring; the adult emerges from the cocoon after metamorphosis. It is a delicate-winged insect, usually grey or brown, resembling a damselfly.
Scientific classification: Ant-lions make up the family Myrmeleontidae, of the order Neuroptera.
