Species Limnephilus ornatus

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · See Also · Internet References

Northern Caddisfly - Limnephilus ornatus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Trichoptera (Caddisflies)

Suborder Integripalpia

Infraorder Plenitentoria

Superfamily Limnephiloidea

Family Limnephilidae (Northern Caddisflies)

Subfamily Limnephilinae

Tribe Limnephilini

Genus Limnephilus

Species ornatus (Limnephilus ornatus)

Explanation of Names

ORNATUS: a Latin word meaning "heavily ornamented, overadorned, showy"; probably refers to the adult's forewings, whose pattern and colors are striking compared to most caddisfly species

Size

adult 10-15 mm

Identification

forewing has a mix of light, medium, and dark brown streaks surrounding short white stripes in the median area; the longest white stripe is in the middle of the wing; 3 or 4 smaller, connected, elliptical stripes/spots in subterminal area (the white spot closest to the costa has a dark dot in its center)

Range

Alberta and Montana to Newfoundland, south to West Viriginia; also known from Greenland and a disjunct population in Alaska

Habitat

larvae live in slow-moving or standing water; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light

Season

adults fly from June to August

Food

larvae are filter feeders on detritus in the water

See Also

Great Silver-striped Sedge (Hersperophylax designatus) has a longer & thinner white stripe in the middle of the forewing, and its subterminal area has two widely-separated white strips - not 3 or 4 connected white spots (compare enlarged image of H. designatus to Cedar Creek's enlarged image of L. ornatus)

Internet References

pinned adult image and seasonality (Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota)

distribution; PDF doc (Glenn Wiggins and Charles Parker, Caddisflies of the Yukon)

presence in Alaska; list (U. of Alaska at Fairbanks)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 8 January, 2006 - 11:39pm
Last updated 9 January, 2006 - 8:12am

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