This Antlion is a Devious, Cold-Blooded Killer

[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: A sandy wasteland. Its savage ruler lies hidden beneath the sand. Its presence revealed only by catapulted corpses-- the grisly remains of discarded victims. Empty shells of insects, murdered and tossed aside. But by what? By this, the antlion-- the spawn of the nether world. This is its layer. Digging backwards in the sand, the antlion creates a funnel-shaped burrow. Then, it buries itself to lie in wait for its next victim. The ants have no idea that a trap lies below. A Firebug loses its grip on the sand and slips down the funnel into waiting jaws. Once he pulls his catch into the sand, the antlion injects it with poison and digestive enzymes. And sucks out its liquefied guts. Then, it throws the empty bug shell up, up, and away. If the victims don't slide down on their own, the antlion launches an assault. Struggling only makes matters worse. Finally, the assassin reaches up to make the kill, injecting its toxic cocktail. Resistance is futile. Once you've fallen into the lion's den, there's only one way for this horror story to end.

Channel: Smithsonian Channel

Views: 4,921,640

Rating: 4.8632054 out of 5

Keywords: watch, TV online, toxic cocktail, catapult, Facts, macroworlds, nature, Struggle, Prey, predator, sand, Documentary, channel, stream TV, survival, liquefied, meadow, digestive, firebug, video, corpse, Episodes, free tv, smithsonian, assassin, free videos, jaws, insect, trap, enzyme, shell, antlion

Id: q2K3v29zeOM

Length: 2min 44sec (164 seconds)

Published: Fri May 03 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/[deleted]]

This sandy boi: “This bitch empty! YEET!”

[u/shafty05]

this is the antlion in its adult form.

[u/daddy-shykat]

I grew up with these critters. When we were around 6, a bunch of us would carefully dig up the larva, and sprinkle them around ant mounds. The larva would immediately re dig their pit traps and then the fun (for us kids) began.

[u/fuscosco]

The dramatization on that documentary. its like a tabloid.

[u/tuatrodrastafarian]

A bug that uses the same tactics as my ex-wife. Fascinating.

[u/[deleted]]

Ahh, yes, I met these Ceti Eels on Ceti Alpha 5 when I was marooned with Kahn. One killed his wife. Good times.

[u/bellazdaddy]

Also known as the final resting place of Bugba Fett.

... or so we thought!

[u/dalass1]

u/tc1198