Ants are the Prey of Doodle Bugs | Fun Fact Friday

Ever heard a person call a baby doodle bug as they wiggle, crawl, and wriggle around a room?  There is a reason for that!  Doodle bugs, the larval form of ant-lions (or antlions), make a path that looks like a doodle in the sand (or soil) where they crawl while searching for a suitable spot to dig a pit and wait for prey (small insects and arthropods-- usually ants) to fall in.  The path that babies use when they first start moving is similar to that of a doodle bug.  So that some what common nickname (I've heard it more than a few times), is a reference to an actual bug!  The funny path is pretty much the only thing doodle bugs and babies have in common!

Doodle bugs are actually a pretty fierce predator, babies are not.  Doodle bugs are NOT cute, babies are cute. Etc. Etc. I could go on, but you get the point!
I found a blog with an incredible photo succession post for an ant-lion (doodle bug) in action. Click here to see it.  The blog is done by biologist and photographer, Alex Wild.  I was hoping to find a picture I could put in this blog-- these photos are better than what I was hoping to find!

Even Better?  I found a video on youtube by national geographic.  Originally I intended to write a nice post about how the antlion "doodles" in the sand, but after more research and watching these videos-- I found that writing about them as a fierce predator was much more interesting!



The adult antlion looks similar to a dragonfly, and may eat pollen and nectar, but some adult antlions stick to the diet of their youth.

Have a problem with ants?  You could employ the doodle bug!  But a faster, more effective route to getting rid of ants would be calling Peak Pest Management for ant pest control service!

Micah Wood
Peak Pest Management
503-998-4322
360-607-1933
www.Peak-Pest-Management.com
micah@peak-pest-management.com

Ant + information = Antformation| Fun Fact Friday!

If you want one fun fact, here it is: all three sets of legs on an ant are located in the thorax, which is represented in the green section of the diagram below.

For more information, please keep reading!

I am actually not a graphic designer.  Just in case there was any question about that-- the proof above is an ant diagram created in Microsoft Paint.  For fun fact friday, I thought we could diagram an ant.  And I looked for a fun diagram I could grab online and found that there really wasn't a freebie I could snag and use.  So, you get my amazingly unartistic funky but functional Ant Diagram.

1. There is the head in the blue section of the diagram.
1. On the head there are antennae.  The thick end is called the club.
1. Antennae are bent, in constant motion and are used to sense, taste and smell.
2. There is also the mandibles, which in my diagram is that jagged angular area.
1. The mandible hides the mouth of the ant.  The mouth is used not just to eat but also to clean.
3. The large grey dot is called the compound eye.
1. Many ants have compound eyes made up of several lenses that form one picture in the ants brain.  Some ants have smaller compound eyes and those that spend most of their time in the dark may even be blind
4. The three tiny grey dots are the ocelli.
1. These are three simple eyes that sense light.
2. In the green section of the diagram is the thorax.  The thorax is made up of muscles.
1. Located in the thorax are all three sets of legs.
1. Ants legs are jointed.  You may be able to vaguely guess that from the drawing... MAYBE.
3. The purple section of the diagram is the petiole.
1. Some ants have one part here, others have two the second part is called the post-petiole.
1. The petiole allows ants to bend their gaster forward in order to sting or spray prey or in self defense.
4. The final portion of the diagram, in yellow, is the gaster.  The gaster contains the heart, digestive system, and protection/weapon. 
1. On the gaster in this picture I have shown a stinger, some ants can sting-- while others have a small opening and instead are able to spray acid.

This is a very basic diagram and break down of the anatomy of ants.  There are all kinds of things that could be added, but I figure if we are going to call this "Fun Fact Friday" this is just enough information to keep it from being information overload.  Each ant species is slightly different-- but you can get the basic idea of how ants function.

While ants may be interesting, they are not as fun and intriguing when they are invading your home, business, and other structures.  For help getting rid of ants, please contact me at Peak Pest Management LLC.  Carpenter Ants, moisture ants, soil ants, odorous house ants, sugar ants, ghost ants, and any other ants you might want to be rid of are well within our realm of expertise!  You can visit the website at www.peak-pest-management.com or give me a call at 360-607-1933 (WA) or 503-998-4322 (OR).