Ant Lion

I use to enjoy watching these little insects kick the dirt to knock the ant down to their awaiting mandibles

I would see many of your holes in the dirt

So I asked my dad if he knew what you were

He said beneath the sand awaiting their chance
Is a insect called an ant lion; they eat ants

They sit there patiently for hours, even days
Hoping that their meal would come, their prey

An ant would come crawling by and fall into its hole
And as the ant tries to escape, its plan would unfold

It would kick dirt up at the ant to knock it back down
The smaller the ant the better so it couldn't get to ground

Waiting down at the bottom were no set of claws
Just a hungry ant lion with mandibles for its jaws

Sometimes I would grab an ant and try feeding it to them
It depended on the size of the hole or they crawl out again

I'm sure you sat under the dirt thanking me for trying
It was my pleasure, I shall go, happy hunting Mr. ant lion!

by: James W. Mckay
June 27, 2023