Arizona

Ptah

(33,492 posts) Sun Oct 27, 2024, 08:52 PM Oct 27

Any idea what these might be? In the shade of a mesquite tree.

About the size of a fifty-cent piece.

19 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Any idea what these might be? In the shade of a mesquite tree. (Original Post) Ptah Oct 27 OP

Ant lion holes? Ocelot II Oct 27 #1

yes this Kali Oct 28 #14

I think it's mostly lizards though tarantulas do also. I have loads of those holes in the dirt part of our yard. MLAA Oct 27 #2

Mesquite beans (seeds) surfered Oct 27 #3

I did not know you meant the holes surfered Oct 27 #4

Burrows of ant lions ? eppur_se_muova Oct 27 #5

Ant lions surfered Oct 27 #6

Palo Verde beetles umroman Oct 27 #7

On South Georgia farms, we had holes something like that. They were called Doodlebug holes. Silent Type Oct 27 #8

doodlebugs are the same as antlions Kali Oct 28 #15

Thanks. Did not know that. Silent Type Oct 28 #18

interesting creatures Kali Oct 28 #19

Wolf spider? CanonRay Oct 27 #9

Most likely "pocket gophers ", but could be moles or voles. Very common in Arizona. Enter stage left Oct 27 #10

If you knock a little dirt in the holes duncang Oct 27 #11

Ant Lion traps. The ant lion lies in wait at dobleremolque Oct 27 #12

This is the correct answer. Ferrets are Cool Oct 27 #13

You win the prize. Well done. twodogsbarking Oct 28 #17

The Movie "Tremors" comes to mind. Call for Kevin Bacon. twodogsbarking Oct 28 #16

Ocelot II

(120,822 posts)

1. Ant lion holes?

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 08:53 PM

Oct 27

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antlion

Kali

(55,736 posts)

14. yes this

Reply to Ocelot II (Reply #1)

Mon Oct 28, 2024, 12:21 AM

Oct 28

ant lions are larvae of a harmless flying insect that is similar to a dragonfly

MLAA

(18,598 posts)

2. I think it's mostly lizards though tarantulas do also. I have loads of those holes in the dirt part of our yard.

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 08:56 PM

Oct 27

I’ve never seen a chipmunk type animal around but lots of lizards. I keep meaning to ask the man who takes care of our yard.

I googled and found this:

What digs holes in Tucson?
These creatures dig small, snake-sized holes to escape the Arizona heat–and predators:
Round-tailed squirrels.
Harris' antelope squirrels.
Pocket mice.
Lizards.
Tarantulas.

surfered

(3,087 posts)

3. Mesquite beans (seeds)

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 08:57 PM

Oct 27

https://preparednessadvice.com/mesquite-beans-harvest-use/

surfered

(3,087 posts)

4. I did not know you meant the holes

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 08:58 PM

Oct 27

eppur_se_muova

(37,390 posts)

5. Burrows of ant lions ?

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 09:02 PM

Oct 27

surfered

(3,087 posts)

6. Ant lions

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 09:02 PM

Oct 27

It feeds on ants and traps them with this slippery slope. Think Revenge of the Jedi

umroman

(34 posts)

7. Palo Verde beetles

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 09:03 PM

Oct 27

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derobrachus_hovorei

Silent Type

(6,656 posts)

8. On South Georgia farms, we had holes something like that. They were called Doodlebug holes.

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 09:08 PM

Oct 27

But have never seen them in rocky areas, and they weren’t that big. I wouldn’t camp on top of those or stick my finger in one.

Plus, they kind of look like someone stood there pounding hiking poles into the ground.

Kali

(55,736 posts)

15. doodlebugs are the same as antlions

Reply to Silent Type (Reply #8)

Mon Oct 28, 2024, 12:22 AM

Oct 28

Silent Type

(6,656 posts)

18. Thanks. Did not know that.

Reply to Kali (Reply #15)

Mon Oct 28, 2024, 10:20 AM

Oct 28

Kali

(55,736 posts)

19. interesting creatures

Reply to Silent Type (Reply #18)

Mon Oct 28, 2024, 11:58 AM

Oct 28

many of the larvae of dragonfly family are great sci fi monsters.

CanonRay

(14,858 posts)

9. Wolf spider?

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 09:20 PM

Oct 27

Enter stage left

(3,823 posts)

10. Most likely "pocket gophers ", but could be moles or voles. Very common in Arizona.

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 09:27 PM

Oct 27

Our friends in Scenic AZ call them "rat bastards".

duncang

(3,593 posts)

11. If you knock a little dirt in the holes

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 09:35 PM

Oct 27

You will see the ant lion kicking back out the dirt. If you see an ant fall in you can also see the ant lion kick up dirt to make it harder for the ant to escape. Then no more ant.

dobleremolque

(893 posts)

12. Ant Lion traps. The ant lion lies in wait at

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2024, 09:38 PM

Oct 27

the bottom of the conical trap. Ants and other insects crawl in and the sloping, grainy sides of the hole make it difficult to escape by climbing up. Ant lion has a meal.