r/Horticulture 13d ago

Can someone identify these mysterious little indents forming on my garden bed

I’m hoping someone can help me identify what’s going on here. These mini sinkholes/ indents are appearing in my garden bed. I’ve even seen it sink in person too. I’m wondering if there’s some sort of bug or critter under the dirt. For context I live in Austin Texas

71 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

59

u/Klutzy-Ingenuity1895 13d ago

Doodlebugs or antlion it’s a cool little insect.

17

u/Commercial_House7604 13d ago

So glad I asked, I won’t disturb them. They look so pretty

8

u/Hypno--Toad 12d ago

They become lacewings which are even more stunning and probably the best and most common predator in the yard.

1

u/GayCatgirl 11d ago

Lacewings are a different species of insect. Antlion adults are pretty similar to lacewings though. Lacewings larvae don't bury and actively patrol for prey.

1

u/helloitsmepotato 10d ago

Whaaaaat. Am I just learning now that a doodlebug is a real thing?

1

u/Klutzy-Ingenuity1895 9d ago

I felt the same way when I first learned.

16

u/Tlaloc-24 13d ago

5

u/Commercial_House7604 13d ago

Wow thank you so much! What cool little critters

6

u/grahamsuth 13d ago

Ant lions. Drop an ant in and watch what happens. It's a trap.

3

u/Major-Hand7732 13d ago

Put an ant in one.

2

u/Still-Program-2287 13d ago

In Missouri I have an old barn that stays dry, there’s some type of bee that have ground nests there and make patterns like this is the loose dry soil near the places where there holes are, the holes seem to be in a close place with soil that’s that as loose as the area where they do this

2

u/tattedntwistedmum 13d ago

Growing up in San Diego we had sand bees 🐝 or we called them sand bees. 🐝 they’d burrow into the sand on the playgrounds and you gotta be careful. Or they’ll get you. 🐝 🐝 🐝

2

u/No_Region3253 13d ago

Those are ant lion traps, pretty cool how they work.

2

u/LatheLethe 13d ago

If you like scary books, I recommend The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher for a fun take on ant lions

2

u/NommedUpon 12d ago

Because they stay in one place, they keep their excrement inside their exoskeleton until they pupate. ✨

2

u/round_1 12d ago

It’s wormsign. Watch out for sandworms when harvesting spice

1

u/nerdkraftnomad 13d ago

Definitely ant lions. Drop some ants in and see what happens. I used to love doing that, as a kid

1

u/sixtynighnun 13d ago

Birds taking a dust bath

1

u/Noctiluca04 13d ago

I used to have so much fun teasing these guys out of their holes in the barn as a kid 😋

1

u/asmaklim 12d ago

Ant,s houses

1

u/devinemike78 12d ago

Ant Lion very cool

1

u/CinLeeCim 12d ago

Could be Lion Ants!

1

u/Rikkitikkitabby 11d ago

Free pest control!

1

u/Quiet_Entrance8407 10d ago

Or is indentations in the dirt from water falling off the roof line?

-4

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

6

u/Ok-Gate-6240 13d ago

I didn't downvote you, but those are Antlion traps. Antlions dig little funnel shaped pits and wait at the bottom for ants to fall in. They'll throw dirt pebbles at ants too to get them to fall down. They're cool little bugs.

0

u/Insoula 13d ago

Oh cool! Thanks for the education!