This East Asian looks a bit like a dragonfly, but it belongs to a completely different group of insects. Its larva is the famous antlion that digs a cone-shaped pit in dry sand to trap ants. It lives in Japan, Korea, China, and parts of Southeast Asia, so you won't find it in the United States.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Forewings about 1.5 in (4 cm) long. Dark brown body and clear, unmarked, finely veined wings with a small pale yellowish spot near the tip.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Mountain forests
- Urban woodlands
- Near homes
- Range
- Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and China, with records from several Southeast Asian countries.
- Preferred conditions
- Larvae build pits in fine, dry soil sheltered from rain, such as under tree bases, rocks, or eaves.
Behavior
- Activity
- Adults fly from dusk into the night with a fluttery flight and are sometimes drawn to lights.
Life cycle
- Larva
- The larva waits at the bottom of its pit and grabs small insects that slide in, then sucks out their body fluids. It spends one to two years as a larva before spinning a round cocoon in the soil.
Name and classification
- About the name
- Often listed under the older name Hagenomyia micans.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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