How do you identify a caddisflies?

Like all insects, caddisflies have 6 legs, 2 antennae, and 3 body parts. Adult caddisflies resemble moths, with hairy wings and long antennae, but caddisflies do not have the long siphoning mouthparts that butterflies and moths have. Caddisflies hold their wings tent-like over their bodies when they are not flying.

What adaptations do caddisflies have?

The cases that caddisfly larvae construct provide protection from predators, but also provide camouflage, helping them blend into their surroundings. Caddisfly larvae have very soft bodies, and the case also acts as a barrier from the abrasive substrate. Caddisflies are closely related to butterflies and moths.

Are caddisflies sensitive to pollution?

While most caddisflies are considered sensitive to environmental stress, some caddisflies are less sensitive. Some actually thrive on slightly polluted conditions with elevated nutrients, because it causes more periphyton, a favorite food, to grow.

How many caddis flies are there?

The caddisflies, or order Trichoptera, are a group of insects with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. There are approximately 14,500 described species, most of which can be divided into the suborders Integripalpia and Annulipalpia on the basis of the adult mouthparts.

Why are caddisflies important to the food web?

Like mayflies, stoneflies and dragonflies, but to a somewhat lesser extent, caddisflies are an indicator of good water quality; they die out of streams with polluted waters. They are an important part of the food web, both larvae and adults being eaten by many fish.

How big do caddisfly larvae get before they swim?

Climbers or crawlers resembling hermit crabs. Some small species are able to swim. The size of caddisfly larvae varies from 3 mm to approximately 40 mm (cases of some large species can reach sizes around 60 mm). Caddisflies undergo complete metamorphosis.

How many species of caddisflies are there in the world?

Jump to navigation Jump to search. The caddisflies, or order Trichoptera, are a group of insects with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. There are approximately 14,500 described species, most of which can be divided into the suborders Integripalpia and Annulipalpia on the basis of the adult mouthparts.

What kind of material does a caddisfly use?

The larvae of many species use silk to make protective cases, which are often strengthened with gravel, sand, twigs, bitten-off pieces of plants, or other debris. The larvae exhibit various feeding strategies, with different species being predators, leaf shredders, algal grazers, or collectors of particles from the water column and benthos.