Male Psychoglypha (Snow Sedges) Caddisfly AdultView 2 PicturesThis Psychoglypha adult was found clinging to my garage door in the evening on April 9, 2013. It measures 21 mm in length, from the front of head to the end of wings. It is my hope that Creno will be able to identify it to species based on the image of its genitalia. However, if other images are required for a species ID, the specimen is available, so they can be easily taken. Thanks, Roger Rohrbeck, Mercer Island, WA.
Female Dicosmoecus gilvipes (October Caddis) Caddisfly AdultView 16 PicturesI've been hoping to add a really good October Caddis to the photo collection here for years, but so far I had struck out on finding them on the river. Tonight, this one flew into the kitchen during a pizza party at a house along the river, and was quickly pointed out -- one of the perks of hanging out with other aquatic biologists! Maybe next year I can finally get a salmonfly on taco night or something.
Limnephilus externus (Summer Flier Sedge) Caddisfly NymphView 1 PicturesThis caddis is one of the most abundant caddisflies in temporary ponds of Glacier Park. The larvae build a round case of detritus (Detritus: Small, loose pieces of decaying organic matter underwater.) and dead plant material that can get quite large.
Male Onocosmoecus unicolor (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly AdultView 15 PicturesI first just assumed this was Dicosmoecus based on anglers' conventional wisdom since it's a large orange "October caddis," but Creno set me straight. I should have keyed it out. After another look under the microscope, it lacks an anepisternal wart on the mesopleuron (Mesopleuron: The side of the insect mesothorax, and the part to which the fore wings are attached in mayflies.), which rules out Dicosmoecus. The midtibiae have 2 apical (Apical: Close to the apex; tip or end.) spurs and 1 pre-apical (Apical: Close to the apex; tip or end.) spur, and from there the color pattern of the wing points to Onocosmoecus. The location then narrows the species to unicolor.