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Caddisfly Larva
What they look like:
The Caddisfly Larva (plural – larvae) are worm-like
with three pairs of well-developed legs on the first
three body segments and hooks on the last one. Caddisflies
are related to butterflies and moths.
Size:
Up to 20 mm long.
Where they live:
They live in a wide range of environments from
fast flowing streams to freshwater ponds. Their soft
bodies are usually covered in a protective silky case.
They use the hooks at the end of their abdomen to hold
on to their cases. Some species do not live in cases,
using their hooks instead to cling to the stream bed
and also to drag themselves backwards to escape from
predators.
What they eat:
The Caddisfly Larva eats algae and plants (living
and dead). Some species feed on other insects and spin
silky nets to capture their prey. Some eat the larvae
of other Caddisfly species, while others scrape algae
from stones or plants, or shred leaf litter.
Pollution tolerance: Sensitive,
rating 8.
The Caddisfly Larva cannot tolerate low oxygen levels
and those that break up leaf litter for food require
vegetated streams, with trees that overhang the
water. |
What’s interesting about
the Caddisfly Larva? |
