November 04, 2025
Beneath South Carolina’s sandy soils lives a creature that’s both strange and familiar. Known as the antlion—or “doodlebug” across the South—this insect spends its early life hidden beneath the sand, building tiny pit traps to capture unsuspecting prey. Later, it transforms into a delicate, lace-winged adult that pollinates plants and supports the food web. Beyond their ecological role, antlions have long been part of southern folklore, remembered for the childhood rhymes once whispered over their sandy pits.
What’s Wild! is a digital series showcasing South Carolina’s rarest wildlife and the amazing people who protect them.
