Trichoptera (Caddisflies)

Most of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) organisms are sensitive to changes in water quality. Their presence (or lack of) are good indicators of the health of our streams. Caddisflies are found in marshes, ponds, lakes and streams where there is lots of oxygen.

Caddisflies have long soft abdomen, usually with stringy gills and two little hooks on the end of the abdomen, each attached to a proleg. Most of these insects make cases of sand grains, gravel, small pieces of leaves, grass, bark or twigs. The larva look like small pieces of debris moving jerkily on the bottom of a shallow pond or stream. You have to identify them at the genus and some at the species level to know what their feeding habits.

Some may be;

• scrapers,
• shredders,
• collector/filterers,
• collector/gatherers,
• grazers, and
• predators

	Caddisflies Photo:RP

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