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CADDISFLY LARVAE
Importance:
- Extremely sensitive to pollution
- Numerous different caddisfly species
Identification:
- There are two types of caddisfly larvae: free-living and armored.
- Caddisfly larvae with armor are protected by a "house" created of stones, shells, and other materials.
- The body color ranges from brown and yellow to green.
- The body of armored caddisfly larvae tends to curl slightly on a flat surface.
What it Eats:
- Different species of caddisfly eat different things. The predator species typically eat other aquatic insects, and have large jaws called mandibles. Herbivorous species eat algae and other plants.
Interesting Facts:
- Caddisfly larvae can produce silk. Some types of caddisfly larvae use the silk to glue together small stones, twigs, shells, and other material from the stream bottom to create a protective armor around themselves. Other types of caddisfly larvae are free-living, and do not build a "house" of armor. Some free-living caddisfly larvae can spin webs with their silk (similar to a spider web) and filter food particles from the water.
SCIENTIFIC ORDER: TRICHOPTERA
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