Last week TLC staff member Torrey Archer and I monitored DeMamiel Creek in Sooke, with landowners Gertie and Dean. The creek was unusually full this year from the cooler summer and abundance of rain, which was great for the salmon fry and other creatures in the creek! One super cool critter we found that I want to highlight is the Caddisfly (order Trichoptera). Caddisflies live most of their lives in the water, but once they reach maturity, they leave the water and become a flying insect that looks like a small moth. However, the Caddisfly larvae are generally the coolest part of the life cycle. The Caddisfly larvae create their own homes out of materials in the creek like gravel, pebbles, and pine needles. This home acts like a shell and gives their soft body protection from their environment. The protective case is adhered together by a silk-like substance from their salivary glands near their mouth. Caddisfly larvae are also sensitive to pollution, meaning their presence in this creek means it is clean and has good water quality!
To learn more about Caddisfly larvae head over to these websites for more information: https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/caddisfly-larvae and https://twistedsifter.com/2013/03/caddisfly-larvae-cases/
~ Erin, TLC’s Summer Covenant Program Intern
