Limnephilus Caddisflies

A couple of caddisflies in the moth trap at the weekend. On the left Limnephilus lunatus is the most frequently caught large caddisfly, named after the crescent moon-shaped pale mark at the tip of its wing. Smaller and less marked, Limnephilus auricula (#968) is a new species for the list. It frequents water edges that dry out in summer, the adults laying eggs in the autumn and the larvae overwintering.

#686 Limnephilus lunatus

#968 Limnephilus auricula

Caddis flies in the Moth Trap

Making up a quite mixed bag in the moth trap this weekend, there were a handful of caddis flies of two different species. On the right the “half-moon” caddis fly (Limnephilus lunatus, #686), with a dark-rimmed pale semicircle at the tip of its wings. This is a species often coming to light at night, which I’ve caught several times from late summer through to now. The darker caddis fly on the left is a new species, Anabolia nervosa (#708), which also flies from August to October. The larvae of this caddis are usually found in streams, where they make a case of sand particles and small twigs.

#708 Anabolia nervosa

#686 Limnephilus lunatus

Half Moon Caddisfly

This delicately marked caddis fly came into the moth trap last night. Limnephilus lunatus is identified from a few similar looking species by the golden half-moon at the end of its wings. This is only the second species of caddisfly I’ve recorded in the garden. It is a common and widespread species in UK, whose larvae can be found in most freshwater and even brackish water habitats. The larvae live for a year in the water in a case constructed from plant or mineral debris and the adults fly from April through to November.

#686 Limnephilus lunatus