06/18/2026
Hidden beneath Arizona's sandy soils is one of nature's most impressive ambush predators: the ant lion.
As larvae, ant lions dig cone-shaped pits and wait buried at the bottom for prey to slip in. When an insect tries to escape, the ant lion flicks sand uphill, creating tiny avalanches that pull its meal right back down. Those powerful jaws then make quick work of fruit flies, ants, crickets, and other small insects.
Despite the name, ant lions aren't ants at allβthey're the juvenile stage of an insect that eventually transforms into a delicate winged adult similar to a lacewing.
Watch this Arizona ant lion doing exactly what it was built for: digging, flicking sand, and turning unsuspecting insects into dinner.