Definition of antlion Antlion

ant•li•on

We found 5 definitions of antlion from 4 different sources.

What does antlion mean?

Noun
antlion - winged insect resembling a dragonfly; the larvae (doodlebugs) dig conical pits where they wait to catch e.g. ants
		ant lion, antlion fly
		neuropteran, neuropteron, neuropterous insect insect having biting mouthparts and four large membranous wings with netlike veins
antlion - the larva of any of several insects
		doodlebug, ant lion
		larva the immature free-living form of most invertebrates and amphibians and fish which at hatching from the egg is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose

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antlion (Noun)
Any of various nocturnal insects from the family Myrmeleontidae whose adults resemble damselflies and whose larvae bury themselves under a cone-shaped pit in sand to trap insects such as ants.

Antlion are a family of insects in the order Neuroptera with the scientific name Myrmeleontidae (sometimes misspelled as "Myrmeleonidae") most well-known genus is "Myrmeleo". There are about 2,000 species.

Description.

Most people know this insect because of the funnel-shaped pit, up to 2 inches in diameter and depth, produced by the larval stages of this insect to trap ants. Larvae have globular abdomens and narrower, flattened heads bearing sickle-shaped jaws. Adults superficially resemble drab-colored, 1 ½ inch long damselflies with four long, narrow, net-veined wings roof-like held over a long, skinny abdomen when at rest. Unlike damselflies, however, ant-lion antennae are prominent and clubbed at the end.