order
Coleoptera
“Adult Beetles”
Coleoptera
“Larval Beetles”
Diptera
“True Flies”
Ephemeroptera
“Mayflies”
Hemiptera
“True Bugs”
Lepidoptera
“Aquatic Caterpillars, Snout Moths”
Megaloptera
“Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies”
Odonata
“Dragonflies and Damselflies”
Plecoptera
“Stoneflies”
Trichoptera
“Caddisflies”
family
Helicopsychidae
“Snail Casemaker Caddisflies”
Family Overview
Helicopsychidae
Snail Casemaker Caddisflies
The larva lives in a case made of fine sand and coiled in the shape of a snail shell; the tops of the first two thoracic segments are covered by sclerites; the top of the third thoracic segment has only a few small sclerites; the anal claws are comb-like, with many ventral teeth.
Characteristics
POLLUTION TOLERANCE
Upper Midwest: up to 3
Midwest: up to 1.8
Southeast: up to 0
FEEDING HABITS
Scraper / Grazer
MOVEMENT
Clinger
Diagnostic Characters
Order
Prolegs With Single Hook
Family
Snail shell-like case
+ Expanded Character List
Order:
Larvae: Wings/wing pads absent. Eye spots present, but compound eyes absent. Antennae usually small, inconspicuous. Three pairs of segmented legs present on thorax. Pair of anal prolegs, each with single hook, located on last abdominal segment. Larvae can be free-living, in silken retreats attached to substrate, or in usually-portable tubes or cases made of sand, rocks, or plant material.
Family:
The larva lives in a case made of fine sand and coiled in the shape of a snail shell; the tops of the first two thoracic segments are covered by sclerites; the top of the third thoracic segment has only a few small sclerites; the anal claws are comb-like, with many ventral teeth.
Dorsal
Ventral