The Architect (Caddisfly Larva)

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• published: 22 Apr 2011
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The larvae of many species make protective cases of silk decorated with gravel, sand, twigs or other debris... Main music track by the Gloomster from Jamendo.. Track title 'Long way to the Electric Chair' http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/201839 caddisflies feature importantly in bioassessment surveys of streams and other water bodies. Caddisfly species can be found in all feeding guilds in stream habitats, with some species being predators, leaf shredders, algal grazers, and collectors of particles from the watercolumn and benthos. Caddisflies are considered underwater architects because many species use silk for building throughout their larval life. Caddisflies can be loosely divided into three behavioral groups based on this use of silk: retreat-making caddisflies, case-making caddisflies, and free-living caddisflies. Those that build retreats build a net or retreat from silk and other materials and use it to catch food items such as algae, aquatic invertebrates and zooplankton from the flowing stream. Case-making caddisflies make portable cases using silk along with substrate materials such as small fragments of rock, sand, small pieces of twig, aquatic plants, or sometimes silk alone. Many use the retreats or cases throughout their larval life, adding to, or enlarging them as they grow. These may look very much like bagworm cases, which are constructed by various moth species that are not aquatic. Free-living caddisflies do not build retreats or carry portable cases until they are ready to pupate. Sound effects from freesound. http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=83890 http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=25819 http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=32871 http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=74833 http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=35213 http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=50701