Caddisflies
Order Trichoptera
Closely related to moths. Their aquatic larvae are famous for building portable cases from silk, sand, pebbles, and plant material. Key indicators of water quality.
Species in this Order (61)
American Grannom
Brachycentrus americanus
A case-building caddisfly whose larvae attach their cases to rocks in fast current and filter-feed. ...
Apple Caddis
Brachycentrus appalachia
A caddisfly of Appalachian streams that builds tapered square cases from plant material. Larvae orie...
Arctic Caddisfly
Apatania zonella
A small, hairy-winged caddisfly with dark brown wings held tent-like over the body. Larvae build por...
Australian Caddisfly
Triplectides australis
A distinctive Australian caddisfly whose larvae inhabit hollowed-out twigs as portable cases. It is ...
Autumn Caddisfly
Limnephilus flavicornis
A large autumnal caddisfly with golden-brown wings and yellow antennae. One of the last caddisfly sp...
Bizarre Caddisfly
Lepidostoma togatum
A North American case-building caddisfly with square-sectioned cases made of leaf bits. Adults have ...
Caddisfly
Limnephilus rhombicus
Moth-like adults with hairy wings held tent-like over the body. Aquatic larvae are famous architects...
Cinnamon Caddis
Ceratopsyche morosa
A medium-sized net-spinning caddisfly with warm cinnamon-brown wings. Larvae build intricate silk ca...
Cinnamon Sedge
Limnephilus lunatus
A medium-sized caddisfly with warm cinnamon-brown wings bearing a crescent-shaped pale marking. Comm...
Dark-Horned Casemaker
Psilotreta labida
A North American caddisfly building curved tubular cases from sand grains. Larvae are found in small...
Eastern Weighted Casemaker
Goera stylata
A caddisfly of clean European streams that builds mineral cases with large lateral ballast stones. L...
Giant Caddisfly
Eubasilissa regina
One of the largest caddisfly species in the world with a wingspan approaching 70 mm. It is found in ...
Giant Caddisfly
Phryganea grandis
The largest European caddisfly with mottled brown-and-cream wings spanning up to 60 mm. Its larvae b...
Giant Case-Builder Caddis
Phryganea bipunctata
A large caddisfly with spotted wings found in northern and central Europe. Larvae construct conspicu...
Grannom Caddisfly
Brachycentrus subnubilus
A small dark caddisfly that produces massive spring hatches on European rivers. Larvae build distinc...
Great Grey Sedge
Arctopsyche grandis
One of the largest net-spinning caddisflies in North America with a wingspan over 40 mm. Larvae buil...
Great Red Sedge
Phryganea striata
A large cinnamon-colored caddisfly with distinctive striped wings, well known to European anglers. I...
Green Sedge
Rhyacophila dorsalis
A free-living caddisfly larva that does not build a case, instead roaming the streambed as an active...
Kosovo Caddisfly
Tinodes lumbardhi
A caddisfly species new to science described in 2025 from the Lumbardhi i Decanit River in Kosovo. I...
Large Cinnamon Sedge
Potamophylax latipennis
A large, robust caddisfly with broad cinnamon-colored wings found across Europe. Larvae build heavy ...
Lepidostoma Caddisfly
Lepidostoma hirtum
A case-building caddisfly that constructs distinctive four-sided cases from leaf fragments. Larvae a...
Lepidostoma Leaf Caddis
Lepidostoma quercinum
A caddisfly named for its association with oak-leaf-rich streams. Larvae build tidy rectangular case...
Limnephiloid Snail Caddis
Helicopsyche limnella
A tiny caddisfly that builds a perfectly spiraled case from fine sand grains cemented with silk. Lar...
Little Black Caddis
Chimarra obscura
A small, dark caddisfly that builds finger-shaped silk nets in stream crevices. It is widespread in ...
Little Olive Sedge
Hydropsyche betteni
A common North American net-spinning caddisfly tolerant of a range of water qualities. Larvae build ...
Little Sister Sedge
Cheumatopsyche campyla
A small net-spinning caddisfly widespread in warm-water streams. Larvae tolerate moderate enrichment...
Little Tan Short-Horn Sedge
Glossosoma nigrior
A small, abundant caddisfly of eastern North American streams. Larvae build tortoise-shell-shaped ca...
Long-horned Caddisfly
Mystacides longicornis
A slender caddisfly with antennae three times its body length....
Longhorn Caddisfly
Oecetis ochracea
A slender caddisfly with antennae much longer than its body. Larvae are unusual among caddisflies in...
Marbled Sedge
Hydropsyche contubernalis
A net-spinning caddisfly with distinctly marbled wing patterns. It is common in larger European rive...
Micro Caddisfly
Lepidostoma pluviale
A small western caddisfly that builds neat cases from leaf discs in rain-fed headwater streams. Larv...
Microcaddisfly
Hydroptila sparsa
One of the smallest caddisflies, with adults only 3-4 mm long. Larvae build tiny purse-shaped cases ...
Mother of Pearl Caddisfly
Mystacides azurea
A small iridescent caddisfly with long antennae and pearly blue-green wings. It swarms in large mati...
Mother-of-Pearl Caddis
Glyphotaelius pellucidus
A large European caddisfly with translucent wings that shimmer with iridescence. Larvae construct fl...
Mothlike Caddisfly
Triaenodes bicolor
An elegant caddisfly with pale straw-colored wings and long antennae found near still waters. Larvae...
New Zealand Caddisfly
Olinga feredayi
A stony-cased caddisfly endemic to New Zealand streams. Larvae are important grazers found in virtua...
Northern Bushtail Caddisfly
Sericostoma schneideri
A cold-water caddisfly of northern European mountain streams. Larvae build sturdy curved cases from ...
October Caddis
Dicosmoecus gilvipes
A large orange-bodied caddisfly that hatches in autumn on western North American rivers. It is one o...
Rock Caddisfly
Goera calcarata
A caddisfly of limestone streams whose cases incorporate calcareous sand grains and pebble ballast. ...
Rusty Sedge
Hydropsyche saxonica
A net-spinning caddisfly of clean upland European streams sensitive to organic pollution. Larvae con...
Saddle-Case Caddisfly
Glossosoma conformis
A small caddisfly whose larvae build distinctive saddle-shaped cases from tiny stones. When it pupat...
Sand Fly Caddis
Glossosoma intermedium
A small caddisfly whose larvae build distinctive tortoise-shell-shaped stone cases. They are importa...
Sand-Case Caddisfly
Sericostoma personatum
A caddisfly whose larvae build smooth, curved cases entirely from fine sand grains cemented with sil...
Sand-Dwelling Caddis
Molanna angustata
A caddisfly whose larvae build flattened shield-shaped cases from sand grains. The wide case acts li...
Silverhorn Caddisfly
Athripsodes cinereus
A delicate caddisfly with silvery-grey wings and very long antennae. It is common near lakes and slo...
Small Ballast Caddisfly
Silo pallipes
A small caddisfly that cements large pebbles to its mineral case for ballast in fast water. Found ex...
Snail-Case Caddis
Helicopsyche borealis
A remarkable caddisfly whose larvae build coiled cases from sand grains that closely resemble tiny s...
Snail-Case Caddisfly
Helicopsyche mexicana
A remarkable caddisfly whose larva builds a coiled sand-grain case resembling a tiny snail shell. Fo...
Spotted Sedge
Hydropsyche siltala
A net-spinning caddisfly common in European streams with moderate organic enrichment. Larvae build s...
Spotted Sedge
Hydropsyche pellucidula
A common net-spinning caddisfly found in flowing water across Europe. Larvae build silk nets between...
Spotted Sedge
Hydropsyche siltalai
A net-spinning caddisfly that constructs silken capture nets in fast-flowing water to filter food fr...
Strong Casemaker Caddisfly
Odontocerum albicorne
A caddisfly that builds smooth, slightly curved sand-grain cases up to 20 mm long. Larvae inhabit co...
Tan Spotted Sedge
Hydropsyche instabilis
A medium-sized caddisfly whose larvae construct net retreats in fast-flowing upland streams. Adults ...
Trumpet-Net Caddis
Polycentropus flavomaculatus
A caddisfly whose larvae spin trumpet-shaped silk nets to trap prey. It is common throughout Europea...
Tube-Making Caddis
Psychomyia flavida
A small caddisfly whose larvae build silken tubes cemented to rock surfaces in rivers. The tubes cre...
Weedy Water Sedge
Leptocerus tineiformis
A slender caddisfly associated with weedy European lakes and canals. Larvae build cases from fine sa...
Weighted Casemaker
Goera pilosa
A caddisfly that attaches heavy ballast stones to the sides of its case for stability. Larvae are fo...
Western Bushtail Caddisfly
Gumaga nigricula
A western North American caddisfly that constructs smooth cylindrical cases from fine sand. Larvae a...
Western Grannom Caddis
Brachycentrus occidentalis
A widespread European caddisfly forming mass emergences in spring on alkaline rivers. Larvae build f...
White Miller Caddisfly
Nectopsyche albida
A small white caddisfly commonly found near lights along eastern North American waterways. Its delic...
Zebra Caddis
Macrostemum zebratum
A strikingly patterned net-spinning caddisfly of eastern North American rivers. Larvae build large s...