Doodlebug
Guides
Brachynemurus abdominalis
Brachynemurus abdominalis is a species of antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae. It is one of 18 genera of antlions recorded north of Mexico. The species was originally described as Myrmeleon abdominalis by Thomas Say in 1823. Like other antlions, it undergoes complete metamorphosis with a predatory larval stage and a delicate, lacy-winged adult stage.
Brachynemurus hubbardii
Brachynemurus hubbardii is an antlion species in the family Myrmeleontidae, distributed across Central America and North America. The genus Brachynemurus belongs to a diverse group of antlions whose larvae typically do not construct the characteristic funnel-shaped pits associated with the more familiar genus Myrmeleon. Instead, Brachynemurus larvae bury themselves just below the soil surface and wait for prey to pass by. Adults are delicate, lacy-winged insects that resemble damselflies but possess short, clubbed antennae.
Brachynemurus nebulosus
antlion
Brachynemurus nebulosus is a species of antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae, distributed across North America. Like other antlions, it undergoes complete metamorphosis with a predatory larval stage and a delicate, lacy-winged adult stage. The species belongs to a genus characterized by distinctive wing patterns and morphology among antlions.
Dendroleon obsoletus
Eastern Spotted-winged Antlion, Spotted-winged Antlion
Dendroleon obsoletus, commonly known as the Eastern Spotted-winged Antlion, is a species of antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae. Adults are distinguished by spotted wing patterns. The species occurs across North America, with larvae inhabiting sandy soils beneath rock ledges and other sheltered areas where they construct pit traps to capture prey.
Glenurus gratus
pleasing picture-winged antlion, doodlebug
Glenurus gratus is a North American antlion species in the family Myrmeleontidae, commonly known as the pleasing picture-winged antlion. Adults are recognized by distinctive black, white, and pink wing markings. Unlike pit-digging antlions in the genus Myrmeleon, larvae of Glenurus gratus bury themselves just below the soil surface to ambush prey rather than constructing conical traps.
Glenurus snowii
Snow's Picture-winged Antlion
Glenurus snowii is a species of antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae. Like other members of its genus, adults are distinguished by striking black, white, and pink wingtips. The species occurs in North America and Middle America. Larval biology is presumed similar to other antlions, though specific details for this species are not well documented.
Myrmeleon
antlion, doodlebug
Myrmeleon is a cosmopolitan genus of antlions in the family Myrmeleontidae, distinguished by larvae that construct conical pitfall traps in sandy substrates. The larvae, commonly called doodlebugs, bury themselves at the bottom of these pits and use specialized mandibles to capture prey that falls in. Adults are delicate, lacy-winged insects resembling damselflies but with short, clubbed antennae. The genus is notable for being one of few antlion genera in North America that exhibits pit-building behavior, and it has been documented across multiple continents including North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Myrmeleon carolinus
Myrmeleon carolinus is a North American antlion species in the family Myrmeleontidae. Its larvae construct conical pitfall traps in sandy substrates to capture small ground-dwelling arthropods, a behavior characteristic of the genus Myrmeleon. Laboratory studies indicate that pit size varies with feeding history and prior pit-building experience, suggesting that physiological constraints alone do not determine trap dimensions. The species was described by Banks in 1943 and is accepted as valid in current taxonomic databases.
Myrmeleon exitialis
antlion
Myrmeleon exitialis is a species of antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae. It is found in North America. As a member of the genus Myrmeleon, its larvae construct the characteristic funnel-shaped pitfall traps in sandy soil to capture prey. Adults are delicate, slender insects with lacy wings that superficially resemble damselflies but possess short, clubbed antennae.
Myrmeleon immaculatus
Doodlebug
Myrmeleon immaculatus is a pit-trapping antlion species in the family Myrmeleontidae. Adults are approximately 30 mm in length and typically blue-grey in color. The species is particularly common in the eastern United States, though its range extends across North America and into Central America. Like other members of the genus Myrmeleon, its larvae construct characteristic conical pits in sandy soil to capture prey.
Myrmeleon mobilis
Myrmeleon mobilis is a pit-making antlion species in the family Myrmeleontidae. The larva constructs conical pits in sandy substrate to trap small ground-dwelling arthropods, using a unique discontinuous gut physiology where solid waste is retained until adulthood. A 2005 microbiological study identified its bacterial associates as primarily Proteobacteria, including Wolbachia-like organisms in non-gut tissues and Enterobacteriaceae-like bacteria in the gut. The species is recorded from North America.
Myrmeleon texanus
Myrmeleon texanus is a species of antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1900. As a member of the genus Myrmeleon, its larvae construct characteristic conical pitfall traps in sandy soil to capture prey. The species occurs in North America and Middle America, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented compared to more widespread congeners such as M. immaculatus.
Myrmeleontidae
Antlions, Antlion lacewings, Doodlebugs, Owlflies
Myrmeleontidae is a family of neuropteran insects comprising approximately 2,000 species, commonly known as antlions or antlion lacewings. The family is best known for the distinctive predatory behavior of its larvae, which in many species construct conical pit traps in sandy soil to capture prey. Adults are aerial insects with delicate, often patterned wings, and are frequently mistaken for dragonflies or damselflies. The family includes two traditional subfamilies: Myrmeleontinae (antlions) and Ascalaphinae (owlflies), though the latter is sometimes treated as a separate family. Antlions exhibit remarkable diversity in larval hunting strategies, with pit-digging behavior restricted to certain genera while others employ ambush or roaming predation.
Scotoleon nigrescens
Scotoleon nigrescens is a species of antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae, order Neuroptera. It was described by Stange in 1970. Antlions in the genus Scotoleon are found in North America, and adults are characterized by their delicate, lacy wings and cryptic coloration that allows them to blend seamlessly against vegetation. The larvae are predatory, living in soil or sand and feeding on small insects.
Vella fallax
doodlebug
Vella fallax is a species of antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae, found across the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. Adults are among the largest antlions, with wingspans reaching 100-120 millimeters or more. The species belongs to a genus containing three species, all characterized by their large size and nocturnal attraction to lights. Two subspecies are recognized: Vella fallax fallax and Vella fallax texana.
Vella fallax texana
Vella fallax texana is a subspecies of giant antlion in the family Myrmeleontidae. Adults are among the largest antlions in North America, with wingspans exceeding 100 mm. The species is nocturnal and frequently attracted to lights. Larvae are predatory but do not construct the characteristic pit traps of some antlion genera; instead they bury themselves just below the soil surface to ambush prey.