Kloof Conservancy BioGuide - Antlions
Size 1.2cm in the larva stage
Lifespan Remarkably long-lived creature - 2-3 years in the larval stage
Antlion, is a name applied to a group of about 2,000 species of insects in the family Myrmeleontidae. The most well-known genus is Myrmeleon ("antlion"). Strictly speaking, the term "antlion" applies to the larval form of the members of this family.
The antlion larva is a ferocious-appearing creature with a robust plump abdomen tapering towards its end.
The largest forms are found in the predominately African genus Palpares which are found in Krantzkloof NR - these have a wingspan of 16 cm.
The winged form of the adults are sometimes called "antlion lacewings".
Most commonly known by their larva form as a result of the sand-traps that they make to catch their prey.
The length of a fully-grown well-nourished predatory larva is typically up to 1.2 cm, and that of an adult up to 4 cm
In our area the average-sized larva digs a pit about 2 cm deep and 4 cm wide at the edge. Having marked out the chosen site by a circular groove, the antlion larva starts to crawl backwards, using its abdomen as a plough to shovel up the soil. By the aid of one front leg it places consecutive heaps of loosened particles upon its head, then with a smart jerk throws each little pile clear of the scene of operations. As it slowly moves round and round, the pit gradually gets deeper and deeper, until the slope angle reaches the critical angle of repose (that is, the steepest angle the sand can maintain, When the pit is completed, the larva settles down at the bottom, buried in the soil with only the jaws projecting above the surface, often in a wide-opened position on either side of the very tip of the cone.
The antlion larvae eat small arthropods – mainly ants – while the adults of some species eat small pollen and nectar, while others are predators of small arthropods in the adult stage too.
The life cycle of the antlion begins with egg-laying. The female antlion repeatedly taps the sand surface with the tip of her abdomen. She then inserts her abdomen into the sand and lays an egg.
The larva makes a globular cocoon of sand stuck together with fine silk spun from a slender spinneret at the posterior end of the body. These cocoons may be buried several centimeters deep in the sand. It remains there for one month, until the completion of the transformation into the sexually mature insect, which then emerges from the case and climbs to the surface. After about 20 minutes the adult's wings are fully opened and it will fly off in search of a mate.
The adult is considerably larger than the larva.
Antlions are found through the world and are most common in arid and sandy habitats.
Antlions are generally found in most habitats where there is sand.
You will find antlion traps throughout the reserve particularly at the bottom of cliff-faces where the sand is dry and protected by the cliff overhangs.
Usayizi 1.2cm ezinbeni lobumpethu.
Ukuphila Sidalelwe ukuphila iskhathi eside ngokumangazayo 2-3 iminyaka ezingeni lokuchanyuselwa.
Umumo ngokongiwa Liphethe okuncane.
Inkunzi yomhlaba, igama elisetshenziswe emhlambini ongama 2000 wezinhlobo zezinambuzane emndenini wama myameleontidae. Uhlobo olaziwa kangconywana Myrmeleon (“Inkunzi Yomhlaba”). Ukukhulum okuginile, umkhawulo “Inkunzi Yomhlaba” lisebenza ekubumbekeni kwamalunga alomndeni.
Inkunzi yomhlaba ukuchanyuselwa inolaka olubonakala kusidalwa esinamandla kusisu esikhulu esicijile ekupheleni.
Ukwakheka okukhulu kutholakala kudlula okuningi kungama African genus palpares okutholakala eKrantzkloof N.R. lezi zinezimpiko ezingu 16cm.
Ukwakheka kwamaphiko ezindala kwesinye iskhathi abizwa “Antlion Lacewings”.
Okwazeka kakhulu kwizimpethu zakho okungumphumela womhlobiso wesihlabathi okwakhelwe ukubamba okuzokudla.
Ubude obugcwele ngokwanele okuncelisa okuphathelene nezibungu kungafinyelela ku 1.2cm uqobo, kanti lokho kosekukhulile kufika ku 4cm.
Endaweni yethu umkhawulo wesilinganiso sokumbela impethu umgodi singaba 2cm ukujula kanti ububanzi 4cm ekuphetheni. Kunokuloba ngaphandle kusiza esikhethile kwisikhoxe esiyindilinga, inkunzi yomhlaba iqala ukukhasa ibheke emuva, isebenzisa isisu sayo ukulima ishofele umhlabathi phezulu. Ngosizo lomlenze owodwa wangaphambili ibeka ingqumbi ngokulandelana izinhlamvana ezixegayo kuya ekhanda layo, bese ivetula ngobuchule iphose inqwaba ngayinye ukukhanyisa indawo yokusebenzela. Njengoba ilokhu ijikajika kancane, umgodi kancane ulokhu ujula-ujula, kuze kuba ukwehla egumbini kufinyelela egumbini eliyingozi lokucambalala, lona, igumbi elinommango onzima ukuba isihlabathi singabambelela, ngenkathi umgodi uphela, isibungu isibeka phansi ekugcineni, isigqibe ngomhlabathi kube ngemihlathi kuphela ephumela ngaphandle, kujwayele indawo ebanzi evulekile kwelinye uhlangothi olusihloko esikhulu sekhoni.
Ngenkathi intuthane noma isilokazane ngephutha singena phakathi emgodini, siyoshibilikela kuzinhlayiya zesihlabathi esithambile ohlangothini lomgodi bese siwela ekujuleni. Ngeshwa umhlatsnelo ujwayele ukuba lizichome ezimpondweni zenkunzi yomhlaba. Kodwa uma lithi lizama ukuphunyuka, inkunzi yomhlaba itshikizisa isihlabathi bese simboze inyamazane. Kulesiphepho sokudilika kwesihlabathi kumthambeka womgodi, biphendula umshini ngokushesha. Ekugcineni isilokazane sigingqikela phansi emgodini lapho inkunzi yomhlaba ilinde khona.
Izinungu zenkunzi yomhlaba idla izilokazanyane-kakhulu izintuthane-ngani ezinye izinhlobo ezikhulile zezilwane zidla isikhuphashe esincane kanye namanektha kanti ezinye zidlana nezincane izilwanyana esezikhululile futhi nazo. Emva kokuba sezibambile, inkunzi yomhlaba idonsela osebanjiwe ekujuleni kwesihlabathi lapho imfimfitha injimbili yomzimba. Inkunzi yomhlaba bese ilahla isidumbu ngokubha ngaphandile komgodi.
Isondo lempilo lenkunzi yomhlaba iqala ngokubeka amaqanda. Eyesi fazane iqhwabaze isihlabathi iphindelela ngesihloko sesisu sayo. Singenise isisu saso esihlabahini bese sibeke amaqanda.
Impethu yakha umfece oyimbulunga ngesihlabathi esibumbe ndawonye ngosilika othambile otholakala kusilika ozacile emuva gkugcineni komzimba. Lomfece ingawugqiba amasentimitha amaningi ukujula esihlabathini. Ihlala lapho inyanga eyodwa, kuze kube kuphela ukudluliselwa ekuvundeni kwesinambuzane, kuze kube aphuma bese ekhuphulelwa endaweni. Emva kwemizuzu engu 20 izimpiko zelidala zivuleka ngokuphelele bese lizondiza liyofuna umlingane.
Elidala likhulu kakhudlwana kunempethu.
Izinkunzi zomhlaba zivame ukutholakala emhlabeni kanti kakhulu kwindawo eyomisilie kanye nesihlabathi.
Zivame ukutholakla kwizindawo kakhulu zokuhlala lapho kunesihlabathi.
Uyotholo imihlabiso yazo phakathi nesiqiwi phansi nobuso bamawa lapho isihlabathi somile futhi zivikelwe ukukhobonga kweziwa.
Awoni lutho sampela futhi awabangi kulimala ezimbilini, kubantu noma kwizakhiwo. Anosizo olukhulu futhi ondla izintuthwane kanye nezinye izilokazane eziwela kuzicupho zazo. Kungcono ukuzishiya zodwa. Kodwa, kuyahalisa ezinganeni (Nakwabadala futhi) ukuzibuka zenza imigodi yazo futhi zibamba izilokazane ezizidlayo. Ungasheshisa uhlelo ngokuthiuwise izintuthwane noma nezinye izilokazane ezincane emgodini yazo.