[gitmo]

Antlion larvae, or 'doodlebugs', trap ants by digging inverted cones or pits in the soil. These pits are usually 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and are usually found in the soil near or under the base of a house or other building which provides protection from direct rainfall. The antlion larvae prepare the sides of their pits with fine sand or soil particles so ants that fall in can't climb out, and land in the jaws of the 'doodlebug' waiting at the bottom. Predation in action can be observed by dropping an ant into the edge of a pit. The 'doodlebug' usually captures the ant but often flips soil and sand all around in the process. Antlion larvae eventually pupate in the soil, becoming adult insects that look somewhat like dragonflies, except that they are more fragile and are feeble fliers. Antlions are beneficial to man because of their ant diet and they cause no problems.

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[Billthedrill]

Well, let's just drive on over and have us a look.

On Mars. Cool.

[FreedomCalls]

"Sleepy Hollow" could be a trap. What if the sand is so soft that the rover can't get back out of it once it goes in?

[mvpel]

...when the rover drives off its lander platform in a week or so.

Who was it who was saying we don't need people on Mars, that machines can do just as good a job?

It's taking a week for them to gear up to examine something that's a half dozen steps away.

[maestro]

And,.....just how 'deep' is the 'dust' on Mars?

Boulders of clay?

After 'so' many billions of years where are all the ______?

/sarcasm

[mplsconservative]

Ohhhh nooo! Not the giant Martian doodlebugs! Have you reported this to NASA?

Seriously though, thanks for posting this article. This stuff is fascinating. America is such a fantastic country. We're able to look forward to the future through space exploration and at the same time wage a major battle on terrorism. Best country on earth. Enough said.

[Bush Cheney]

I would first like to see the whole panorama. What's to say the the other side does not have a treasure trove of interesting large rocks and boulders?

[Looking for Diogenes]

"It's a hole in the ground," he said. "It's a window into the interior of Mars."

I'll never look at a pothole quite the same - now they're "windows into the the interior of the Earth."

I read that the control team is concerned about a sand trap. hey have a protocol for testing the looseness of the soil with one wheel.

[KevinDavis]

I'll be more excited when humans are going to Mars.

Space Ping! This is the space ping list! Let me know if you want on or off this list!

[BushCountry]

The actual reason for the depression in the Martian sand is shown below.

WARNING: Sandworms, they need to stay away! };O)

[Main Street]

[The Raven]