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Insect Order Trichoptera (Caddisflies)

Mayflies

Caddisflies

Stoneflies

Taxonomic Navigation -?-

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

» Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

» Class Insecta (Insects)

» Order Trichoptera (Caddisflies)

Family in Trichoptera
ApataniidaeEarly Smoky Wing Sedges	0	0
BrachycentridaeApple Caddis and Grannoms	0	4
GlossosomatidaeSaddle-case Makers	0	3
Goeridae	0	0
Helicopsychidae	0	1
Hydropsychidae	0	1
HydroptilidaeMicrocaddisflies	0	2
LepidostomatidaeLittle Brown Sedges	0	0
Leptoceridae	0	0
LimnephilidaeNorthern Caddisflies	0	1
Molannidae	0	0
Odontoceridae	0	0
Philopotamidae	0	0
Phryganeidae	0	0
Polycentropodidae	0	0
Psychomyiidae	0	0
RhyacophilidaeGreen Sedges	0	0
Uenoidae	0	2

5 families aren't included.

Common Name

Match	Common Name
	Caddisflies

Pictures Below ↓

This is page 3 of specimens of Trichoptera. Visit the main Trichoptera page for:

The behavior and habitat of Trichoptera.
55 underwater pictures of Trichoptera.

Pictures of 129 Caddisfly Specimens:

Specimen Page:1 234...14

Cheumatopsyche (Little Sister Sedges) Caddisfly Pupa

View 10 PicturesThis is the first fully formed caddis pupa (technically, a pharate adult (Pharate adult: Caddisflies are considered to be pupae during their transformation from larva into adult. This transformation is complete before they're ready to emerge. The emerging insect we imitate with the "pupa" patterns we tie is technically called a pharate adult. It is a fully-formed adult caddisfly with one extra layer of exoskeleton surrounding it and restricting its wings.)) that I've collected and photographed alive and healthy. I'll put a video of this specimen online soon, too.

Collected April 14, 2007 from Cayuta Creek in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on April 22, 2007

Rhyacophila (Green Sedges) Caddisfly Pupa

View 11 PicturesI collected this pupa and several like it from the same stream and on the same day as this larva. I suspect they're the same species. Every pupa I collected was in a brown casing like the one shown in one of the pictures below. I cut this pupa out of its case after a picture so you can see more details. It is close to but not fully developed.

Collected June 5, 2005 from the Long Lake Branch of the White River in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 25, 2006

Rhyacophila fuscula (Green Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

View 11 PicturesI collected this larva and several like it from the same stream and on the same day as this pupa. I suspect they're the same species.

Collected June 5, 2005 from the Long Lake Branch of the White River in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 25, 2006

Brachycentrus appalachia (Apple Caddis) Caddisfly Adult

View 9 PicturesThe wings of this specimen were pale tan, almost white, when I collected it, and the body was of the lighter "apple green" from which this species gets its common name. Everything turned much darker by the time I got it home and under the camera.

The wings look even darker in some of these pictures because the background is black and the wings are unusually translucent. You can see that in one of the pictures where the body easily through the wings. They're really a light, translucent gray, which is still far from the pale tan of the same fly when it was freshly emerged.

Collected May 15, 2007 from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 18, 2007

Male Psilotreta labida (Dark Blue Sedge) Caddisfly Adult

View 11 Pictures

Collected June 1, 2007 from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on June 4, 2007

Chimarra (Little Black Sedges) Caddisfly Larva

View 6 Pictures

Collected March 30, 2007 from Fall Creek in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on April 2, 2007

Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly Pupa

View 8 PicturesSeveral users have interesting comments in the discussion of this specimen, but this observation by Creno is especially good:

Also, this is what I would call an "immature" pupa. The wingpads of caddis pupae darken to nearly black as the enclosed adults near emerging. The darkening is the developing adult wing inside the pupal wing pad (

The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.
Wing pad: A protrusion from the thorax of an insect nymph which holds the developing wings. Black wing pads usually indicate that the nymph is nearly ready to emerge into an adult.). The ultimate coloration of the adult wing is not very apparent in most pupal wing pads (

The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.
Wing pad: A protrusion from the thorax of an insect nymph which holds the developing wings. Black wing pads usually indicate that the nymph is nearly ready to emerge into an adult.) as the majority of the adult wing coloration comes from the color/position of the adult wing hairs and setae (Seta: Little hairs on insects.). But dark pupal wingpads are a good indication that the emergence will occur very soon, likely that day or so, and that the adult parts are sufficiently developed within the pupae to make a species determination from the specimen, particularly if it is a male.

Collected May 13, 2007 from the Delaware River in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 18, 2007

Limnephilidae (Northern Caddisflies) Caddisfly Larva

View 5 Pictures

Collected March 1, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Phryganeidae Caddisfly Larva

View 5 PicturesThis "specimen" is actually two caddis larvae fighting each other over a case. The case is a hollow tube; one larva would go in the back end, presumably bite the other, and chase it out. The invader crawled forward into the case while the other one fled, and then it went around to the back and bit the first one. They did this several times, and I recorded it on video.

Collected March 1, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Triaenodes Caddisfly Adult

View 4 Pictures

Collected August 7, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Specimen Page:1 234...14

Jargon Defined:

Emergence: The transformation of a nymph or pupa into the adult winged stage of an insect. The term may refer to the emergence of an individual, or the daily or yearly event in which all individuals of a species emerge.

Larva: Many classes of aquatic insects, such as caddisflies, midges, craneflies, dobsonflies, alderflies, and many more, are known as "larvae" rather than "nymphs" in their juvenile stages. They have mostly soft bodies rather than hard exoskeletons. These insects also advance through a "pupa" stage before reaching adulthood.

Pharate adult: Caddisflies are considered to be pupae during their transformation from larva into adult. This transformation is complete before they're ready to emerge. The emerging insect we imitate with the "pupa" patterns we tie is technically called a pharate adult. It is a fully-formed adult caddisfly with one extra layer of exoskeleton surrounding it and restricting its wings.

Pupa: Any insect which spends most of its juvenile lifetime as a larva first becomes a pupa for a time before emerging as a fully grown adult. Depending on the species, the pupal form can be very important for fly fishermen to imitate.

Setae: Little hairs on insects.

The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.

Wing pad: A protrusion from the thorax of an insect nymph which holds the developing wings. Black wing pads usually indicate that the nymph is nearly ready to emerge into an adult.

Useful References:

LaFontaine, Gary. 1981. Caddisflies. The Lyons Press.

Swisher, Doug and Carl Richards. 2000. Selective Trout. The Lyons Press.