Ant-lion; Hormiga león

The Ant lion (Myrmeleon formicarius) is an insect of the Neuroptera order, that includes the lacewings.

The adults of Ant lion are completely different from the larvae. The adult, in the image, is characterized by a long and narrow abdomen, and by their two pairs of hyaline membranous wings, large and even longer that the abdomen. Other species have brown spots on these wings. The antennas are club shaped and the position of the wings in rest wrapping the abdomen differ clearly the ant-lion from the dragonflies. The adult flies at twilight in summer on dry land to the search and capture of aphids. There is a single annual generation of adults.

The larva has a discreet brown color; without wings, and with powerful jaws. The abdomen of the larva is short and robust. Lives in sandy land guarded of the rain, where it digs its nest in form of volcano in which is buried head up with the jaws prepared to catch any insect that fall in the trap. It Injects poison to paralyze and then digests the victim outside. The ant-lion lives in this stadium larval, of which takes the name, during two years.