The "antlion" part of the Four-spotted Antlion's (Distoleon tetragrammicus) name, Distoleon tetragrammicus, comes from the Greek words for "ant" and "lion" (myrmex + leon) because its larvae are fierce, predatory hunters that consume ants and other small insects. The "four-spotted" likely refers to the four distinctive spots present on the wings of the adult antlion. The four-spotted antlion is a European and North African species known for its unique larval stage, which doesn't dig funnel traps like other antlions but lives in leaf litter, ambushing prey with its powerful jaws. Unlike its famous cousins, the adult four-spotted antlion is a fragile, damselfly-like insect with characteristic dark spots on its four wings and a short lifespan focused on reproduction.
Note: Antlions, (family Myrmeleontidae), are a family of some 2,000 insects that are named for the predatory nature of the larva, which commonly trap ants and other small insects in pits dug into the ground. Antlions are found throughout the world, primarily in dry, sandy regions.
