Summary
A wormlion digs a tiny pit in dry dust and waits at the bottom for an ant to slip in. Deep Look shows how this soft little larva builds a trap and flicks sand to keep its prey sliding down.
Viewer safety
This episode shows a predator eating real prey (a normal part of nature science) -- preview if that might unsettle your class.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
A wormlion larva makes a cone-shaped pit in loose dust. When prey tumbles in and tries to climb out, the wormlion flicks sand to keep it sliding down -- a hunter that builds a trap instead of chasing.
- How does a wormlion catch food without chasing it?
- What does it do when prey tries to climb out of the pit?
- Why is building a trap a good strategy for a small, slow larva?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: pit, trap, larva, structure.
Try it: Make a cone-shaped dip in a cup of flour or sand and roll a bead in. Write how the wormlion's pit keeps prey from escaping.