Have you ever heard of a caddisfly?
If you've ever gone wading in a stream, you might have spotted their larvae, crawling around, camouflaged as sticks or rocks!
Here are some caddisfly larvae I found in a pool near the river.
If you pulled one of these caddisflies out of its stick or stone case, it would look a lot like at caterpillar This makes sense, because when they are ready, they build a cocoon inside their protective cases, and undergo metamorphosis, just like a moth or a butterfly. As adults, they look like a hairy moth!
Adult Caddisfly
Image by tombombadil42 from Pixabay
As you can see, the caddisfly larvae I've been watching have mostly used sticks and other leafy matter to make their protective cases. Some larvae use sand and stones to make their cases too, and they are beautiful! They produce silk in their bottom lips, and use that to bind the sticks and stones together.
Make a Caddisfly Larva Case
Materials:
Glue that dries clear
Paper Straw Piece (about 2-4cm long)
Sand and Gravel
Paintbrush*
*When using a paintbrush with glue, first take a tiny bit of dish soap and rub it into the bristles of your brush.
When you are done, wash the brush right away.
Photo by Natasha Zimmers
Procedure:
1) Put a line of glue down one side of your straw.
2) Roll in the gravel and sand, or sprinkle/place the pieces onto the glue.
3) Turn the straw, add another strip of glue, and add more sand and stones.
4) Repeat until you have covered the entire straw.
5) Let it dry. If you notice gaps when it's dry, you can add more glue and more stones.
Photos by Natasha Zimmers
You could experiment and try to build a little caddisfly larvae to live in your case. Maybe a pipe cleaner and some string for legs?
Or you could string it on a necklace and wear it like jewelry. Did you know that artists sometimes put caddisfly larvae into aquariums with beautiful stones so that they can have cases made out of precious metals and gemstones?
Have fun creating your own caddisfly inspired art, and next time you are near a river or creek, take a moment to look for these amazing natural architects.
Want to know more? Here is a great video about different types of caddisflies and their lives:
If you are exploring a creek, you can identify different macroinvertebrates (water invertebrates that can be seen without an microscope) with a field guide like this one:
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