Stats

Lifespan

1-3 years

Size

Medium

Diet

Insectivore

Activity

Crepuscular

Social

Solitary

Biome

Arid scrubland

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Common

About

This insect lives in sandy soil where its larvae dig deep, cone-shaped traps. The larva uses its oversized, hollow jaws to inject digestive enzymes into trapped prey.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Neuroptera

Family

Myrmeleontidae