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
