ID this bug please

fyrffytr1

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Mar 5, 2010
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I'm pretty sure it's an ant lion. The larvae form the little conical depressions, and lie in wait at the bottom. Ants, or other small insects fall in and are grabbed and eaten. I saw a bunch of those pit traps last week on a prospecting trip. They're somewhat rare around here, but we had many in southern California when I was a kid. The adults aren't predatory like the larvae. Interesting that Old Digger said it looked like a damsel fly. The description said they look like a damsel fly, but with "clubbed" antennae.
Jim
 

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After looking at all the different flies mentioned I am going with the Ant Lion' I hope there are a lot of larvae because my yard is infested with ants. Thanks for all the replies.
 

Ok, after reading up on the ant lion I found the answer to a question I had. I thought water was somehow dripping from the under side of my shed roof to the dirt below but couldn't figure out how it was doing it. Then, I took the picture and it was identified correctly as an ant lion. The larvae burrow into the ground and make little funnel shaped holes. They lie in wait for small insects, like ants to fall into the funnel and become an easy meal.
 

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