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Caddisfly Family Hydropsychidae

Taxonomic Navigation -?-
» Family Hydropsychidae
Genus in HydropsychidaeNumber of SpecimensNumber of Pictures
ArctopsycheGreat Gray Spotted Sedges114
CeratopsycheSpotted Sedges00
CheumatopsycheLittle Sister Sedges640
HydropsycheSpotted Sedges1181
MacrostemumGlossy Wing Sedges00
Parapsyche00
Potamyia00

5 genera aren't included.


Pictures Below ↓

This is page 2 of specimens of Hydropsychidae. Visit the main Hydropsychidae page for:

  • The behavior and habitat of Hydropsychidae.
  • 1 underwater picture of Hydropsychidae.

Pictures of 28 Caddisfly Specimens in the Family Hydropsychidae:

Specimen Page:1234
Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly PupaHydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly Pupa View 8 PicturesSeveral users have interesting comments in the discussion of this specimen, but this observation by Creno is especially good:

Also, this is what I would call an "immature" pupa. The wingpads of caddis pupae darken to nearly black as the enclosed adults near emerging. The darkening is the developing adult wing inside the pupal wing pad (
The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.
The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.
Wing pad: A protrusion from the thorax of an insect nymph which holds the developing wings. Black wing pads usually indicate that the nymph is nearly ready to emerge into an adult.). The ultimate coloration of the adult wing is not very apparent in most pupal wing pads (
The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.
The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.
Wing pad: A protrusion from the thorax of an insect nymph which holds the developing wings. Black wing pads usually indicate that the nymph is nearly ready to emerge into an adult.) as the majority of the adult wing coloration comes from the color/position of the adult wing hairs and setae (Seta: Little hairs on insects.). But dark pupal wingpads are a good indication that the emergence will occur very soon, likely that day or so, and that the adult parts are sufficiently developed within the pupae to make a species determination from the specimen, particularly if it is a male.
Collected May 13, 2007 from the Delaware River in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 18, 2007
Hydropsyche californica (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly LarvaHydropsyche californica (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva View 5 PicturesSize - 14 mm

Condition - preserved

Habitat - cobble bottom, moderate flow run, at a depth of approx. 1 1/2 feet.

Key Characters - pair of large prosternal sclerites (Sclerite: A hard plate of chitinous material, such as those that form the exoskeletons of arthropods, uninterrupted by cracks or sutures.)


This is a very common taxon at this location. I collected using a kick net. In life, it is bright olive green ventrally, shading to a dull olive at its dorsal (Dorsal: Top.) abdominal surfaces. In the hand, the legs, thoraxic regions, and head appear medium chocolate brown. The stark contrast of the thoraxic plate's dark edges and light legs are effects of preserving. The plumouse anal hooks were duck down gray, not the color of the gills as appears in the preserved specimen.

The Lower Yuba River is a good habitat for this species, being a larger river with an open canopy. The Feather River just to the north of the Yuba system also finds H. californica in abundance. The other common Hydropsyche species in the area, Hydropsyche occidentalis, seems to prefer smaller, shaded streams.

Entoman
Collected March 9, 2011 from the Lower Yuba River in California
Added to Troutnut.com by Entoman on November 2, 2011
Hydropsychidae Caddisfly LarvaHydropsychidae Caddisfly Larva View 4 Pictures
Collected January 14, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006
Female Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly AdultFemale Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly Adult View 4 Pictures
Collected May 16, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006
Hydropsychidae Caddisfly LarvaHydropsychidae Caddisfly Larva View 2 Pictures
Collected March 13, 2005 from Cascadilla Creek in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on April 5, 2006
Cheumatopsyche (Little Sister Sedges) Caddisfly PupaCheumatopsyche (Little Sister Sedges) Caddisfly Pupa View 3 PicturesI photographed this one recently dead. It's hard to keep caddis pupae alive for very long in a collection container.
Collected May 18, 2004 from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006
Hydropsychidae Caddisfly LarvaHydropsychidae Caddisfly Larva View 2 Pictures
Collected February 7, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006
Hydropsychidae Caddisfly LarvaHydropsychidae Caddisfly Larva View 2 Pictures
Collected February 5, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006
Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly LarvaHydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly Larva View 1 PicturesThis genus can get incredibly abundant especially below dams.This specimen shows the two sclerotized bars needed to identify it to genus. These usually curl up like this one when preserved.
Collected June 12, 2007 from the Flathead River-lower in Montana
Added to Troutnut.com by Bnewell on June 26, 2011
Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly AdultHydropsyche (Spotted Sedges) Caddisfly Adult View 11 PicturesI haven't keyed this specimen out, but I am instead placing it in Hydropsyche based on the striking visual similarity to this one, which I did key out.

Collected June 30, 2019 from the Madison River in Montana
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 17, 2019
Specimen Page:1234
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