Rare-fly
Guides
Vermileo opacus
wormlion
Vermileo opacus is a species of wormlion, a rare group of fly pollinators in the family Vermileonidae. Wormlions are characterized by their distinctive larval behavior of constructing conical pits in sandy soil to trap prey. The family Vermileonidae comprises approximately 65 living species globally, with V. opacus representing one of the described species in this poorly known group. Adult wormlions feed on nectar and serve as pollinators, while larvae are predatory. The evolutionary history of wormlions extends back to at least the mid-Cretaceous period, approximately 99 million years ago, based on fossil evidence.