Beneath the surface of South Carolina's sandy soils lies a creature that at first sight, looks like it belongs in a Hollywood monster movie.

In fact, it's possible that this animal inspired some of the most admired extraterrestrial life forms in science fiction.

Deep down, the antlion isn't the terrifying beast it's cracked up to be.

They serve a significant role in food webs, become great pollinators in the later stages of life, and to many, they represent a connection to the past in the wild.

Antlions are not ants at all.

They belong to the insect order Neuroptera, a group of insects known for the nerve like patterns in their wings.

The life of an antlion begins beneath the sand.

After hatching, the larva takes on the role of a patient hunter.

Across the south, they are colloquially referred to as doodle bugs because they leave winding spiral trails in the sand while moving backwards in search of the perfect hunting ground.

Compact and armored with powerful curved jaws, the larva is built for ambush.

Once it finds the right spot, the larva constructs a funnel shaped pit, burying itself at the bottom.

When prey slips down the slope, the antlion will throw sand to prevent its escape, then captures it with its jaws and injects digestive enzymes before consuming the liquified meal.

By feeding on ants and other small arthropods, doodle bugs provide natural pest control and help regulate insect populations.

After completing the larval stage, antlions undergo metamorphosis and emerge as adults with long, slender bodies, two pairs of net veined wings, and a distinct club shaped antenna.

Instead of hunting, adult antlions feed on nectar and pollen, making them important pollinators.

They also serve as an important food source for bats, birds, and other insect eating animals, though they only live a few weeks as adults.

Adult lions play an important part in maintaining healthy food webs.

In the American South, antlions hold a place not only in nature but also in tradition.

For generations, children have delighted in finding the sandy funnels of doodle bugs and coaxing them to the surface with playful rhymes.

A common chant is doodlebug, doodlebug, come out to play, recited while circling the pit with a stick or tapping the ground to create vibrations.

The vibration stirs the lava below, sending up a spray of sand as a playful reply.

For many, doodle bugs represent more than an insect in the dirt, they're a reminder of childhood curiosity and a lasting thread of connection between people in the wild.