Bugland: Don’t Be Fooled
Adult Long-Tailed Antlions are sometimes mistaken for dragonflies or damselflies, but don’t be fooled. These insects are more commonly identified in their larvae stage, where they are known for their fiercely predatory habit of trapping ants and other small insects in pits dug into the sandy ground. The adults, sometimes called Antlion Lacewings, are less well known, due to their relatively short lifespans. They mostly fly at dusk or after dark in the summer months. This Long-Tailed Antlion was photographed at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge by Park Hill photographer Mark Silverstein.