INSECTS

TRICHOPTERA / CADDISFLIES

Adult Caddisflies usually live for a couple of weeks during which they do not feed. They die soon after mating. Their larvae are aquatic creatures that feed in freshwater habitats.

Mottled Sedge Caddisfly  Glyphotaelius pellucidus (Wing length 12-17mm) has a diagnostic notch in outer margin of the forewing. The forewings are brown; males have light and dark markings which are mainly missing in females. Adults fly May to June and again from August to October. This species inhabits woodland usually near streams and ponds.

Cinnamon Sedge Caddisfly  Limnephilus marmoratus (Wing length 12-17mm) is seen from June to October near lakes and ponds. This species is normally more strongly marked than L. rhombicus which is sometimes quite similar. The wings on this specimen are very marbled and the stigma is not strong enough to be L. decipiens.

Crescent Cinnamon Sedge  Limnephilus lunatus (Wing length 10-15mm) is seen from May until November near lakes, ponds and streams. The body colour ranges from light to dark brown. The latin name 'lunatus' is a reference to the diagnostic pale half moon marking on the rear edge of the wing. The larval case is built from leaf pieces, grains of sand and other debris.

Limnephilus auricula (Wing length 10-12mm) is a golden-brown caddisfly with light wing markings. This species lives near ponds and ditches and is seen from May to October. It lays eggs during autumn and the larvae overwinter.

Limnephilus affinis (Wing length 9-13mm) is greyish-brown with a dark wing markings. It is found near still or slow waters from June until October.

This large Caddisfly (length about 25mm) was drawn to light emitted from a moth trap. It belongs to the family Limnephilidae, but was impossible to identify to species without a microscope for exact verification. It is either Microterna, or more likely Stenophylax (possibly Stenophylax permistus).

Tinodes waeneri (5-9mm) is reddish-brown with distinct veins. Adults fly May to September and are found near lakes, streams and ponds.

Grouse Wing Mystacides longicornis (6-9mm) is a smallish caddisfly that has red eyes, stripes on the wings and very long antennae.

Mystacides azurea (6-9mm) has shiny blackish wings that appear very angular at the rear when viewed from above. The thin antennae are approximately twice the length of the body. Males have larger eyes than the females. This species lives near ponds, streams and lakes and can be seen from May until September. Similar-looking Mystacides nigra has matt black wings.

Agraylea caddisflies (3-4mm) are easy to mistake for moths. There are over 30 described types and microscopic inspection is required to separate the species.

Orthotrichia costalis (3mm) is a caddisfly that has forewings with white fringes and banded antennae. This species lives near still or slow moving water and is seen from May to September.

Many Caddisfly species leave eggs in jelly-like blobs on vegetation near lakes, ponds and streams. Eggs are usually positioned so that the hatched larvae can fall into water where the larval and pupal stages take place.

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