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How to identify it
- MDC gives the adult a body length of up to about 1 1/2 inches and a wingspan of about 3 1/2 to 4 inches.[2]
- The four long wings are richly marked with dark patches, a pattern that is distinctive among Florida antlions.[1][2]
- Like other antlions it has clubbed antennae, the easy way to tell an antlion from a damselfly.[1]
- The larva's mandibles each carry two teeth, a trait of its genus. Most other Florida antlion genera have three teeth, and one has a single tooth.[1]
Look-alikes
| Look-alike | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Pit-building antlions (doodlebugs) | Most antlions people know have larvae that sit under cone-shaped pits in sandy or loose soil, and their adults are drab, with wings mottled brown and black. Pleasing antlion larvae live in debris inside tree hollows, and the adults' wings are large and boldly marked.[3][2][1] |
| Damselflies | Damselflies have small antennae and usually rest with their wings held together above the body. Antlions have clubbed antennae, which is how the University of Florida separates the two.[3][1] |
Where it lives
The University of Florida account, citing a 2000 checklist, lists it in the United States from Florida (throughout the peninsula), Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio and Tennessee. MDC includes it in its Missouri field guide.[1][2]
Biology and life cycle
Adults fly in forested areas during the summer and are sometimes drawn to lights. They prey on aphids and caterpillars.[1][2]
All three larval stages live in dry tree hollows, among fine wood particles, squirrel droppings and other debris. The hollows are roomy enough for a larva to move about under the surface of the debris and sheltered enough that rain does not soak the contents.[1][2]
The larvae dig or run after prey, though not quickly, and sometimes simply lie in wait. They eat termites, beetle larvae and ants found in the hollow.[1][2]
Florida researchers found as many as three larvae in one hollow, and once a larva of another antlion species, Dendroleon obsoletus, sharing it.[1]
Development takes one or two years, depending on how much food there is and how long the warm nights last. Two larvae reared by the authors each spun a cocoon about 13 mm (1/2 inch) across, buried shallowly in the debris, and the adults emerged 28 days later.[1]
Its eggs and egg laying had not been described when the University of Florida account was written, and no natural enemies were known.[1]
Damage and signs
- Both adults and larvae are predators, and the University of Florida counts them as economically beneficial.[1]
Health risk
It is a predatory insect, and neither the University of Florida nor MDC describes any risk to people.[1][2]
Control
Prevention
No control is needed. Adults eat aphids and caterpillars and larvae eat termites and ants, so the University of Florida considers both stages beneficial.[1][2]
Common questions
- Does the pleasing antlion dig sand pits?
- No. Its larvae live in the dry debris inside hollow trees, where they chase or wait for termites, ants and beetle larvae, rather than under cone-shaped pits in sand.[1][2][3]
- Where can I find one?
- The University of Florida found larvae by sifting dry organic material in tree holes, especially in live oaks (Quercus virginiana). Adults can be found at lights at night or by beating plants in forests.[1]
- Is it a kind of damselfly?
- No. It is an antlion, in the order Neuroptera with the lacewings. Adults are often mistaken for damselflies, but antlions have clubbed antennae.[2][1]
Sources
- University of Florida IFAS Extension (Featured Creatures), “An Antlion, Glenurus gratus (Say), EENY-393 (R. B. Miller and L. A. Stange; published October 2006).” journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/116489 (accessed 2026-11-09)
- Missouri Department of Conservation, “Pleasing Antlion (Field Guide).” mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/pleasing-antlion (accessed 2026-11-09)
- Missouri Department of Conservation, “Antlion Adults (Field Guide).” mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/antlion-adults (accessed 2026-11-09)
- iNaturalist, “Glenurus gratus taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/52885 (accessed 2026-11-09)