Caddis Fly - Limnephilus rhombicus - I think |
So what did I find out about these creatures:
Close up bugs eye view! |
- Well the first thing I found out, much to my surprise, was that there are about 198 species in the UK and Ireland!
- They get their name from their larvae. The larvae are a common fresh water insect that make cases to live in. They make it from silk and then decorate (or disguise it?) with bits of vegetation, small stones and other bits and pieces.
- I found out that the name might come from Elizabethan times - scraps of cloth and silk were called cadices and street traders selling cloth and silk had scraps sown on their coats, they were called Caddice men.
- The cases the larvae make help them in different ways. If they live in streams it helps them not to get washed away with the current. It also forms a little cave to hunt from.
- As they use silk to make cases to live in they are similar to moths and butterflies and are quite closely related to them but Caddis Flys are in the order Tricoptera and Butterflies and moths are Lepidoptera
Resting on the flowers |
- The larvae of Limnephilus rhombicus live in weedy streams, pond margins, marshes and lakes. Staveley has some nice ponds so that fits.
- The larvae of Limnephilus rhombicus eat algae and weed at pond margins.
- I found far more information about the larvae than the adults and I couldn't find out what the adults eat, but this one seems to like nectar.
- They are seen as adults between May and June and July and September so this one is maybe a late one enjoying the lovely October weather we've had.
If they eat insects this fly's in trouble! |
- You can see them across most of the UK right up to the Orkneys and Shetland.
Here's a few links if you want to find out more about these creatures:
Hope you enjoyed,
Z.
These photos are beautiful Zach! - Tasha
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