Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #myrmeleontidae, aggregated by home.social.
Here are two views of one adult of NZ's antlion species, *Weeleus acutus*. Its predatory larvae live in Sarlacc-like pits in sandy ground where they catch unwary passing insects.
I uploaded my photo of Mike Bowie photographing the antlion to #iNaturalist and then discovered that he'd also uploaded his photo of me.
They're amazing creatures, and well worth photographing twice.
A Myrmeleontidae: antlions, from the Neuroptera order of antlions and owlflies. This order of insects of course contains neither ants, nor lions, owls, or flies—a staple in entomology to name unusual insects with compound names drawing from other animals—e.g., snakeflies, sawflies, and more.
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165100160
The antlion name honors the behaviour of their larvae, which live in ground burrows and trap passing ants with their fearsome mandibles.
#iNaturalist #Antlions #Myrmeleontidae #Neuroptera #entomology #insects #Crete
@ApNudd It's an adult antlion (#Neuroptera #Myrmeleontidae) with the wings not yet fully expanded. I think the species is Heoclisis fundata:
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/321665-Heoclisis-fundata