Brachynemurus

Brachynemurus larvae can be distinguished from Myrmeleon larvae by their lack of pit construction; they simply bury themselves in soil and wait with jaws agape. Adults are distinguished from damselflies by their short, thick, clubbed antennae (damselflies have long, thread-like antennae). Males frequently have longer abdomens tipped with bracket-like claspers. Adults possess cryptic coloration with dark spots and speckles on wings that break up their outline when flattened against substrates.

Arid and semi-arid environments including sandy soils, dry grasslands, and desert scrub. Larvae occur in fine, powdery soils, often in dry, sheltered situations such as beneath rock overhangs, at the base of trees, under bridges, and in the dirt floors of old barns and sheds. In Florida, larvae have been documented in sandy soils in south-central regions.

Widespread across arid regions of North America, including the southwestern United States (Texas, Arizona, New Mexico), south-central Florida, and potentially other dry habitat areas. The genus shows broad geographic range with species adapted to desert and dryland environments.

Larvae are sit-and-wait predators that bury themselves just below the soil surface. They pupate inside a silken capsule spun underground, incorporating grains of sand into the cocoon. The larval stage lacks the pit-construction behavior seen in Myrmeleon.

Larvae exhibit sit-and-wait predatory behavior, remaining buried with jaws agape to capture passing prey. They show diel (daily) movement patterns. Unlike Myrmeleon larvae, they do not construct pit traps. When disturbed, larvae can walk rapidly backwards. Adults are clumsy fliers, most active at dusk, and demonstrate remarkable crypsis by aligning themselves with grass stems or twigs to become essentially invisible. Adults frequently attracted to lights at night.

Predator. Larvae function as sit-and-wait predators in soil ecosystems, capturing small insects that pass near their buried position. The genus contributes to arthropod diversity in arid ecosystems and serves as prey for other predators such as praying mantises.

Larvae can be maintained in captivity by providing containers of fine sand and periodic prey items, making them accessible for observation and study. Adults are frequently encountered at porch lights, providing opportunities for citizen science observation and documentation.

• MyrmeleonBoth are antlion genera in family Myrmeleontidae, but Myrmeleon larvae construct characteristic funnel-shaped pit traps while Brachynemurus larvae do not dig pits and simply bury themselves in soil.
• damselflies (suborder Zygoptera)Adult antlions superficially resemble damselflies in body form and wing structure, but are distinguished by short, clubbed antennae versus long, thread-like damselfly antennae; antlions also have different wing venation and are active at dusk rather than during daylight hours.

• antlion
• Myrmeleontidae
• Neuroptera
• sit-and-wait predator
• arid-adapted
• cryptic adult
• non-pit-digging larvae
• North America
• desert insects
• nocturnal adult activity

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Bug Eric: "Doodlebugs" (Antlions)
• 2022 Six-State Insect Collecting Trip iReport | Beetles In The Bush
• Prey Capture Behavior and Diel Movement of Brachynemurus (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) Antlion Larvae in South Central Florida
• Phylogeographic Investigations of the Widespread, Arid-Adapted AntlionBrachynemurus sackeniHagen (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae)