Next Episode Sneak Peek - Worm Lions! (Patreon)

Straight out of science fiction, the fearsome wormlion ambushes prey at the bottom of a tidy –and terrifying– sand pit, then flicks their carcasses out. These meals fuel its transformation into something unexpected.

Ominous creatures that lurk deep underground in the desert, like the sandworms in the classic science fiction novel, Dune, aren’t just make-believe. For ants and other prey, wormlions are a terrifying reality.

While quite small – they can grow up to an inch – wormlions are fly  larvae that curl up their bodies like slingshots. Usually found under  rock or log overhangs in dry, sandy landscapes, they’ll energetically  fling soil, sand and pebbles out of the way to dig pit traps.

Once an unlucky critter falls in, wormlions move at lightning speed  and quickly wrap their bodies around their victims. Squeezing them like  boa constrictors, they also inject them with a paralyzing venom. They  feed this way for several years, until they transform into adults.

 We hope you enjoy this first look at our newest episode. You can start sharing it with other science fans on Tuesday, June 11th from YouTube. Thanks!