![]() In: Usinger RL (ed) Aquatic insects of California. Leech HB, Chandler HP (1956) Aquatic Coleoptera. Agriculture Research Service, Washington, DC, i-x, pp 1–23īrown HP (1987) Biology of riffle beetles. Department of Agriculture, agriculture handbook #529-50. Pan-Pacific Entomol 57:133–148īrown HP (1983) A catalog of the Coleoptera of America North of Mexico, family: Elmidae. Water Pollution Control Research Series, USEPA, Cincinnati, OH, 82 ppīrown HP (1981) A distributional survey of the world genera of aquatic dryopoid beetles (Coleoptera: Dryopidae, Elmidae, and Psephenidae sens. Biota of freshwater ecosystems identification manual no. Tulane Stud Zool Bot 26:89–164īrown HP (1976) Aquatic drypoid beetles (Coleoptera) of the United States. Pest Status, Damage: No damage, generally innocuous adults are attracted to lights and occasionally abundant enough to be noticed immature stages are aquatic, where they are important part of the diet of fish medically harmless.įor additional information, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent or search for other state Extension offices.Barr CB, Chapin JB (1988) The aquatic Dryopoidea of Louisiana (Cleoptera: Psephenidae, Dryopidae, Elmidae). Adults are commonly found near lights at night or on foliage near water. Immature stages or larvae superficially resemble hairless caterpillars. However, some species are more brightly colored. Most species are small (usually 1/4 inch or less) and are dull colored. Mating takes place on the ground or vegetation. Description: Adult caddisflies resemble small moths with wings held tent-like over their back when at rest. Adults generally fly quickly from the water. Pupal cases are often attached to objects. The type of case or use of silk for a web depends on the species. They can spin silk and use it to form nets to strain material from the water to eat or to form cases in which to hide. ![]() Larvae are scavengers, herbivores or predaceous. Immatures are found in water, usually in flowing water. Although riffle beetles (Elmidae) seem to play an important role in modern freshwater ecosystems, there is scant fossil evidence for this group, and what evidence there is comes from adult specimens. Habitat and Food Source(s): Adults do not feed and have vestigial mouth parts larval stages have chewing mouthparts. There is usually one generation per year. Caddisfly larvae develop through four stages (instars) over several months or even a year. Females lay eggs on the edge of the water or by females dipping their abdomen into the surface of the water. Life Cycle: Adult caddisflies are short lived and spend most of their time mating or laying eggs. The larvae of caddisflies can be distinguished by the claws on the thoracic legs and the anal prolegs. The larvae may be confused with a few aquatic moth species (Lepidoptera), some beetle (Coleoptera) larvae or even dobsonfly larvae (Neuroptera: Corydalidae). Adults can be confused with small moths (Lepidoptera) but they never have coiled “siphoning” mouth part as do moths, and they usually have long, hair-like antennae. Many of them fashion cases of plant material, sand, pebbles or debris in which they live. ![]() Most larvae have a pair of hooks on the (anal) prolegs on the last abdominal segment. They often have elongated fleshy gills on the underside of the abdomen. Photo by Drees.ĭescription: Adult caddisflies resemble small moths with wings held tent-like over their back when at rest.
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