Bruce Kartchner, Age 13, of Murray., Utah, for his question:

What is an ant lion?

He is not a lion and not an ant. But he has the fierceness of a lion and feeds upon ants. The ant lion is actually an insect larva in the second stage of his life cycle. Later he becomes a pupa and finally a handsome, lacewing insect with two pairs of leaf shaped wings of gauze and a pair of golden eyes.

The larva of the lacewing, alias the ant lion, digs a pit in sandy soil. He waits hidden in the bottom of his trap with his pincer jaws ready. Soon an ant wanders into the pit, and the fierce ant lion rushes out, scattering enough sand to start a smell avalanche. In the confusion he grabs and devours his struggling victim.