This past year students investigated questions about habitat preference, substrate effects on pits, effect of rainfall on pit construction, effect of temperature on pit construction and others. Students are required to maintain a laboratory notebook record their research. At parent conferences I heard from several parents about the effectiveness of this activity. Lions Acquiring ant lions is the limiting factor for this activity. This is not as difficult as it may sound since once suitable habitat is located several dozen can be collected in a just minutes.
Ant lions range throughout the United States.
Ant lion larvae prefer dry, sandy or loose soils that are sheltered from the weather. Under the eaves of my house is just such a location and every summer I have about one hundred ant lion pits along the bare, loose dirt next to the foundation. Other local sites that I can count on include the dry duff beneath juniper trees and along the sand bars along the river. You just has to keep an eye out for these intriguing insects and mark down locations so you can return later. The ant lion should be in the sample and can be transferred to a tray, pan or cup.