Question

Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Insect larvae form a cone shaped pit in a sandy area bury itself just beneath the surface at the bottom of the pit.
Statement II: Insect larvae hide behind pebbles and push the prey inside the pit.

• A. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are correct
• B. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are incorrect
• C. Statement (I) is correct but Statement (II) is incorrect
• D. Statement (I) is incorrect but Statement (II) is correct

Hint:

The antlion larva is a master of "passive-aggressive" hunting. The angle of the pit's walls is kept at the "angle of repose" of the sand, making it impossible for prey to climb out easily.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
These statements describe the predatory behavior of the antlion (Order: Neuroptera, Family: Myrmeleontidae).
Antlions are famous for their unique "pitfall" trapping mechanism.
Detailed Explanation:
Analysis of Statement I:
Antlion larvae (also called doodlebugs) live in dry, sandy soil.
They dig a perfectly symmetrical cone-shaped pit by spiraling backward into the sand.
Once the pit is finished, the larva buries itself at the very bottom, with only its large, sickle-shaped mandibles visible or hiding under a thin layer of sand.
This is exactly how they set their trap. Therefore, Statement I is correct.
Analysis of Statement II:
Antlions do not "push" prey from behind pebbles.
Instead, they wait passively. If an ant walks over the edge of the pit, the loose sand collapses, and the ant slides toward the bottom.
If the ant tries to escape, the antlion larva uses its head to flick sand at the ant.
This flicking of sand creates a "mini-landslide" that brings the prey down to the center.
The larva then seizes the prey with its powerful jaws. There is no "hiding behind pebbles" or "active pushing" behavior involved in their strategy.
Therefore, Statement II is incorrect.

Step 2: Final Answer:
Statement I is a correct description of the habitat/trap, while Statement II is an incorrect description of the hunting method.