Creoleon Antlion vs Parent Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Creoleon Antlion Parent Bug
Scientific Name Creoleon plumbeus Elasmucha grisea
Order Neuroptera Hemiptera
Family Myrmeleontidae Acanthosomatidae
Size 55-75 mm wingspan 6-9 mm
Habitat Heathland Heathland
Diet Predators Seed Feeders
Regions Southern Europe, Middle East, North Africa Europe, Northern Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Creoleon Antlion

A robust Mediterranean antlion with lead-grey coloring on the thorax. Found in dry, warm habitats across southern Europe and the Middle East.

💡

Did You Know?

Unlike classic antlions, its larvae lie buried in soil without building funnel traps.

Parent Bug

A birch-feeding shieldbug remarkable for its extended maternal care behavior. Females stand guard over their egg clusters and young nymphs for weeks, shielding them with their body.

💡

Did You Know?

Mothers physically shield their eggs and nymphs from parasitoid wasps by spreading their body like an umbrella over them.