Some kind of a critter is making quarter sized conical holes in the sand just inside south door of my pole barn. Also note the squiggly trails in the sand. Sand is very dry. If I smooth over the surface, they reappear within a day. Use heel print (size 8 1/2) and piece of 9000 baler twine for size comparison. Assume some kind of spider setting trap for ants?
- Thread starter RayP(MI)
- Start date
MARK ROBKE
Well-known Member
I have them-I think it is some kind of wasp looking bug.Mark.
Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
They're doodle bugs, or ant lions, depending where your located.
The holes are insect traps, the doodle bug is buried in at the bottom of the hole waiting for dinner. He'll start flipping sand up to keep the insect from climbing out.
Neat to watch, catch an ant and throw it in, see what happens!
The holes are insect traps, the doodle bug is buried in at the bottom of the hole waiting for dinner. He'll start flipping sand up to keep the insect from climbing out.
Neat to watch, catch an ant and throw it in, see what happens!
kcm.MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- NW Minnesota
They're called Sand Lions. Some folks call them Ant Lions, as they usually trap ants in the very loose sand traps.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=sand+lion+insect&t=h_&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=sand+lion+insect&t=h_&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
In my area they are called Doodle Bugs. I'm sure there is a proper scientific name for them. They are under the bottom of those holes and if you tale a small twig and scratch the wall a little they will usually come up to catch whatever it is that has fallen into the hole, normally an ant or small bug.
Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
Jegs
Member
- Location
- Wyanett Township, MN
We have them up here, yup Ant Lions/Doodlebug, my Grandson will play with them for hours. He drops ants on the sides of the cone and the thing at the bottom spits sand at them to knock them down.
kcm.MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- NW Minnesota
I grew up understanding that a Doodlebug and a Pill Bug were the same. Guess a Doodlebug could likely be just about anything, depending on the area and the people.
DoubleO7
Well-known Member
- Location
- Crystal River, FL
They are pretty smart here, most of them have learned to build their trap where they do not get rained on.
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
I did that as a kid here in Texas. Spent hours playing with them.
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
I was thinking the same thing. The wrath of Kahn.
37chief
Well-known Member
- Location
- California
We just call them ant traps I have a lot in front of my shop entry.
sort of a dangerous place. I guess since we have a lot of ants. I guess they are willing to take a chance of being stepped for a meal. Stan
sort of a dangerous place. I guess since we have a lot of ants. I guess they are willing to take a chance of being stepped for a meal. Stan
Deutz Lover
Member
I think antlion larvae were indeed used as the model for the sand critter in the Wrath of Kahn where Kahn uses forceps to pull an immature from between the scales of a larger larva/adult. In real life the adults are delicate bodied lacewings. If you carefully blow away the sand you will find a larva at the base of the funnel. They use the large pincer like jaws to throw sand up in the air making ants etc. slide back down to the base where the jaws are used to grab a poor hapless fire ant (I hope). He he. Karma!
Art imitates life.
Pill bugs, sow bugs, roly-polies are actually terrestrial crustaceans not insects. Some ocean going versions are huge and can be from 3 to 19 inches long. They look very much like the land pill bugs.
Art imitates life.
Pill bugs, sow bugs, roly-polies are actually terrestrial crustaceans not insects. Some ocean going versions are huge and can be from 3 to 19 inches long. They look very much like the land pill bugs.
Deutz Lover
Member
The antlion came to be called a doodle-bug because of that wandering trail they leave when moving on top of the soil. It looked like someone's wandering drawing hence the name.
The name was later applied to other things like the V1 buzz bomb, vw beetle. etc. .
The name was later applied to other things like the V1 buzz bomb, vw beetle. etc. .
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