Ant Lion Larva

Antlions make a small (to us) cone shaped depression in the sand and then dig themselves into the bottom of it to lie hidden in wait for other things to fall in. Mostly ants is what falls in, hence the name Ant Lion (I guess the Lion bit in this case just means predatory). Their abdomen is covered in foreward pointing bristles, that help them to stay anchored in the sand even when attempting to kill things rather larger than themselves..This is a picture of an Antlion Larva - they later turn into winged insects slightly resembling dragon flies that are called Doodlebugs in America. This one won't turn into a Doodlebug because it is not American, this one is from the Dampier Peninsula, just north of Broome, Western Australia..Rather intriguingly, Antlion Larva are fairly unique as insects in that they have no anus. But how do they poo, you say? They don't. All metabolic waste is stored inside them, some of which is then used to spin the cocoon they pupate inside to turn into flying things, the rest of which is voided at the end of the pupal phase.