Family Myrmeleontidae
South Africa is home to at least 125 species of antlions, ranging in size from 3 to 16cm wingspan in their adult stages and appearing nothing like the alien-looking larvae that trap unwary insects – usually ants, hence the name – in their delicately constructed pits.
Actually, only a few of the local antlion species use the conical pits we associate with this group of insects to capture their prey. Most species’ larvae are free-living in sand or leaf litter where they wait for a passing insect to ambush with a quick rush. The captured insect is injected with venom and enzymes and its insides are then sucked out. The larvae is superbly adapted to surviving long periods – months in fact – without food, and may take several years to mature. When ready to metamorphose antlion larvae spin themselves a cocoon in the sand and then dig themselves out as fully-formed adults about a month later. Adults are lazy flyers, almost seeming to struggle to keep airborne, are attracted to artificial lights at night, and rarely live for more than a month after their metamorphosis.
DeWetsWild 
Antlions? Ek kan nie dink dat ek hierdie goedjies al gesien het nie … maar dan, ek het ook nog nooit so intens soos Joubert (dit is hy, ne) na ‘n insek gekyk nie 😄.
Kyk bietjie uit as julle weer in n natuurgebied stap of jy die mierleeus se “kraters” kan sien, Corna!
Ja, dit is Joubert. Vandat ek die eerste keer vir hom een gevang het bly hy gefassineer met mierleeus (tot die arme miere se konsternasie, want hy vang hulle by die dosyne om vir die mierleeus te voer!)
Dankie, ek gaan beslis uitkyk vir hulle “kraters”. Wel, ek wil nou nie sê ek voel jammer vir die miere nie – het vroeër die week ‘n klompie in my suiker pot gekry en moes die hele spul weggooi! Ek nooi sommer vir Joubert en ‘n paar mierleeus oor 😉.
Sounds a bit like Shelob in Lord of the Rings. 👍
Yes! If I were an ant I would surely be as frightened of an antlion as hobbits are of Shelob!