An active sand trapSourced
The larva throws sand at prey trying to climb out
Some antlion larvae wait at the bottom of funnel-shaped sand pits. When prey tries to climb out, the larva throws loose sand upward. Even a missed shot can undermine the slope and send the prey downward. The pit is more than a passive hole.
The slope itself becomes part of the trap.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Antlion · Wikimedia contributors
Adapted, summarized and translated from the source. Adapted text is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reviewed: 2026-10-05