Ant-nest hoverfly is a 3-star creature card from the Information Age. Microdon hoverfly larvae live inside ant nests and eat the ants' brood.
Bonus by grade
| Grade | Copies needed | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Common | 0 | +10% chance of a free dig |
| Uncommon | 2 | +18% chance of a free dig |
| Rare | 5 | +30% chance of a free dig |
| Epic | 10 | +45% chance of a free dig |
| Legendary | 20 | +70% chance of a free dig |
Duplicates raise the grade: Uncommon at 2, Rare at 5, Epic at 10, Legendary at 20.
Codex
- Common: Microdon is a group of hoverflies.
- Uncommon: Their larvae look like little domed slugs.
- Rare: The larvae live inside ant nests.
- Epic: They eat ant eggs and larvae.
- Legendary: They avoid attack by smelling like the colony.
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Field guide
| Size | Adults about 7–28 mm; larvae are small, domed and slug-like |
| Nest | Larvae live inside ant nests; adults hover near ant colonies |
| Diet | Larvae eat ant eggs, larvae and pupae; adults do not visit flowers |
| Defence | Larvae are heavily armoured and copy their host ants' smell |
| Active | Adults fly in early to mid summer in some species |
| Lifespan | Larvae 1–2 years; adults of one species under a week |
| Where it lives | Worldwide, with the most kinds in the Neotropics |
Did you know?
- The name Microdon means small tooth, after tiny spines on the adult's thorax.
- Females find host nests by sensing chemicals that ants give off.
- Adults are hard to tell apart; larvae are often better for identifying species.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, bugguide.net