HELP!!! WTF is this thing!

[Precarious]

I spotted this thing crawling on one of my net cages. I coaxed it onto my hand and it couldn't wait to start biting me! It immediately started sinking it's mandibles into my flesh.

###### is it?!?!?!

Kind of reminds me of an antlion and I do have some of those, but they are short and rounded whereas this thing is long. Shaped more like a ladybug larva. Is this a stage of antlion? Am I now infested with these things? I don't know much about antlions so please fill me in.

This is probably completely unrelated but I sifted through the sand in with the antlions and found this case and skin. No idea what it was but it hatched.

And whatever this little monster is...

???

 

[lancaster1313]

It resembles some kind of lacewing larva, there are a few different kinds. I get the ones that dress themselves in all kinds of debris that they find, and their bite is quite irritating to me. I have put a couple in containers with glitter and some colorful fuzzy stuff from my kids arts and crafts box. Payback can be satisfying. :lol: They will have no choice but to dress in the loud colors and can't hide well when released.

Oh, and OUCH!

 

[Precarious]

It resembles some kind of lacewing larva, there are a few different kinds.

I just did a search and you are right! Awesome! I must have brought it home from the woods today. What a relief. I had no idea delicate little lacewings could be so aggressive as larvae.

I will get right on giving it some sparkly materials to build with. :lol: Actually, I may return it to the woods so it can feed on aphids. I'm pretty sure it came from some milkweed plants I was examining.

I learn something new about bugs every day. Thanks likebugs!

 

[lancaster1313]

Keep up the beautiful photos, I enjoy seeing all the arthropods up close like that.

 

[Precarious]

Keep up the beautiful photos, I enjoy seeing all the arthropods up close like that.

I'm going to have to get footage of it feeding before I let it loose. It turns out they suck the juices from their prey and when they feed on green aphids you can see them filling with green juice!

Here's some video of how they lay their eggs:

 

[lancaster1313]

:lol: I used to wonder what those were. We have them all over the place here.

 

[Ntsees]

First few pics: I think it's a lacewing larvae; the last 3 pics: an antlion adult out of it's pupae.

 

[Precarious]

:lol: I used to wonder what those were. We have them all over the place here.

This is probably his mother...

 

[lancaster1313]

I thought that the poor adult lacewing doesn't look to healthy. :mellow:

Still, it is a good shot of a shriveled bug.

 

[Precarious]

First few pics: I think it's a lacewing larvae; the last 3 pics: an antlion adult out of it's pupae.

You're right. I searched and that is an adult antlion, or what's left of it. I think the others in the container made a meal of it.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Yeah, as you say, ant lions or doodlebugs and lacewing larvae look a lot alike.These and dragonflies/damsel flies, with their fierce aquatic larvae, belong to the order Neuroptera, but in a nice example of parallel evolution, rove beetle and lady bug larvae are similarly armed and ferocious and suck the juices out of their prey. Another Neuropteran, the caddisfly, has aquatic larvae that decorate themselves with whatever they can find, like the lacewing larvae, and we used to have fun as kids forcing them out of their "houses" and having them build a new house out of colored sand.

 

[lancaster1313]

I have had alot of fun with neuropterans, in different ways. I have loved the antlions as a child and still do. We liked to watch them drag their prey into the sand, and you can't beat their cool "scifi monster look".

 

[Precarious]

I thought that the poor adult lacewing doesn't look to healthy. :mellow:

Still, it is a good shot of a shriveled bug.

Omn nyom nom nom...

 

[lancaster1313]

Awesome!

And, I love the moms eyes, they are spectacular.

 

[hibiscusmile]

that thing is scary, did it actually bite you? :mellow:

 

[lancaster1313]

that thing is scary, did it actually bite you? :mellow:

Wow! you really can't see.

I can see it piercing the skin. OWIE!

 

[Precarious]

that thing is scary, did it actually bite you? :mellow:

Yeah, it was trying to drink my precious juices!

Luckily I have thick skin like rhino.

I know better than to let this Wheel Bug (Assassin Bug) drink me...

 

[lancaster1313]

Those assassins are beautiful and frightening.

Sometimes, they land on me when I am bug hunting. I scream and run around trying to brush them off. :lol: So far that has worked and I haven't yet been stabbed.

 

[Precarious]

Sometimes, they land on me when I am bug hunting. I scream and run around trying to brush them off. :lol: So far that has worked and I haven't yet been stabbed.

I'll have to try that since you say it works.

I'm going to practice right now...