![]() Common in Mediterranean cities, they cluster in thin layers of loose soil below man-made shelters. Whereas most animals find urban habitats to be inferior to natural habitats, some “urban specialist” species thrive there. Our study provides an example for how animals take advantage of human-made changes in the habitat and prosper in urban habitats. Those placed in the center moved over longer distances, and we interpret this result to indicate that those adjacent to the wall are more satisfied with their location. We placed wormlions on clear sand either in the center or next to the wall and observed whether they moved after a day. The final step was to conduct an experiment. ![]() We could not find a single explanation for the wormlion’s proximity to walls, and in each site, a different set of explanations held true. Next, we tested several explanations for this observation: the possible effect of soil depth, soil particle size, shade, and prey abundance. First, we show that wormlions are indeed closer to walls than expected by chance. They are especially common next to building walls. Their natural habitat is caves, but they are also abundant in Mediterranean cities below man-made shelters, even in thin layers of soil. ![]() ![]() Wormlions are small fly larvae that dig pit-traps in loose soil to hunt ants and other prey.
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