Dragonfly Larva

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Dragonfly Larva

At first glance, you might not guess that the Dragonfly

larva is a fierce underwater predator.
A close look at its mouthparts will reveal the Dragonfly
larva’s secret weapon. Its hydraulic lower lip can flip out
and extend almost three times the length of its head to
snatch passing prey in an instant!
The Dragonfly larva breathes by taking water in
through its rear end over gills located at the end of its
abdomen. To swim, the Dragonfly larva blasts the water
back out its rear end, making it shoot through the water
like a jet!

* 650 species of Odonata in N. America

* 10-60 mm long, depending on species
* favourite food: other insects or minnows
* lives on stream bottoms, ponds or lakes
* fairly tolerant of pollution
 Caddisfly Larva

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Caddisfly Larva
To protect themselves from predators, most Caddisfly
larvae will build a house-like case around their bodies.
They gather small plant pieces, pebbles or other
construction materials for their tiny underwater house.
The Caddisfly larva then glues the tiny bits together with
silk threads created by its own sticky spit! There are
also Caddisfly larvae found only in streams that are
known as “net-spinners”. These species use a silk net
to capture food carried by the water!
Each Caddisfly larva species has its own favourite
food. Some larvae eat algae that they scrape off
underwater rocks, whereas others are predators.

* 1300+ species of Trichoptera in N. America

* 2-40+ mm long depending on species
* favourite food: algae, rotting plant & animal matter,
other insects
* most freshwater habitat
* low tolerance for pollution
 Fishfly Larva

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Fishfly Larva
The larvae of the Fishfly are fierce underwater hunters.
Their well-developed mouthparts allow them to grab and
swallow up other aquatic larvae. In fact, they are such
aggressive feeders that they will even eat other Fishflies.
Fishflies are strong swimmers that can move
backwards and forwards in their search for food. Other
aquatic insects, such as black fly and caddisfly larvae,
don’t have much of a chance when a Fishfly is on the
hunt. No wonder the Fishfly, one of the largest aquatic
larvae, makes a tasty snack for hungry fish.

* 50 species of Megaloptera in N. America

* 10-90+ mm long, depending on species
* favourite food: other insects, molluscs & worms
* streams, rivers & lakes with soft bottoms
* low tolerance for pollution
 Stonefly Larva

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Stonefly Larva
The Stonefly larva is a true superstar when it comes to
crawling along the bottom of a river or stream in moving
current! Its strong, robust legs are each equipped with
two, tiny claws that help it cling to stones, so it does not
get swept away. The somewhat flattened body of the
Stonefly larva allows it to explore under rocks in search
of food. Some Stonefly larvae eat algae and decaying
material found on the stream bottom, whereas others
are predators.
Stoneflies need streams that are clear, cool and
high in oxygen to survive. So if you find a stonefly
under a rock in a stream, chances are very good that
the stream is unpolluted.

* 500 species of Plecoptera in N. America

* 5mm-6cm long, depending on species
* favourite food: bacteria & fungi, some species are
predators
* among stones in fast streams & rivers
* low tolerance for pollution
 Water Boatman

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Water Boatman

Water Boatmen are abundant in calm lakes and ponds,

or in pools on streams. These superb swimmers use
their hairy back legs as oars.
When the Water Boatman gets hungry, it will gather
an air bubble on its belly. The Water Boatman will use
the oxygen from this bubble when it dives underwater
to eat bits of plant tissue and other stuff that has
settled on the mucky bottom. Some Water Boatmen
will feed on mosquito larvae and other small insects.
The Water Boatmen will call out to each other by
rubbing their forelegs over their head to make a sound.

* 130 species of Corixidae in N. America

* 3- 10mm long, depending on species
* favourite food: organic debris, some eat small
insects
 Mayfly Larva

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Mayfly Larva
In order to survive, the Mayfly larva needs to find plenty
of oxygen in the water where it lives. It gathers the
oxygen using gills that line both sides of its body. If
there is too much pollution, the Mayfly larva’s gills will
not get enough oxygen, and it will die. If there are many
Mayfly larvae in a stream, the water is probably healthy.
If they are missing, we might need to worry about
pollution! Insects that decrease or increase in response
to pollution are often called “indicator organisms”
because their presence can “indicate” altered conditions
in an environment.

* 600+ species of Ephemeroptera in N. America

* 3- 20mm long, depending on species
* favourite food: algae & small bits of rotting stuff,
some eat other insects
* clings to rocks, or in soft soil on stream bottom
* low tolerance for pollution
 Whirligig Beetle

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Whirligig Beetle

The Whirligig Beetle has many intriguing adaptations

for surviving on, and in its watery habitat. It is a
speedy swimmer, spending most of its time on the
water’s surface searching for unsuspecting prey.
Using its oar-like hind legs, the Whirligig Beetle zips
back and forth, and spins around in quick circles.
Each of its eyes is split into two halves. The top
half of the eye looks up at the sky for potential
predators. At the same time, the bottom half of the eye
works like a swim goggle, examining whatever is under
the water! When the Whirligig Beetle dives, it traps an
air bubble under its wing, so that it can breathe
beneath the surface.

* 50+ species of Gyrinidae in N. America

* adult 3-15mm, larvae 30mm
* favourite food: other insects, scavengers
* adults found on surface of quiet waters
* fairly tolerant of pollution
 Mosquito Larva

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Mosquito Larva
We are all quite familiar with adult Mosquitoes buzzing
around our heads during the spring and summer, biting
us and making us itchy. It is only the females who feed
on our blood to produce their eggs.
Mosquito larvae live in standing water, and look quite
different from their adult parents. They are often hairy,
wiggle, and hang upside-down from the surface of the
water. Being upside-down is great for capturing tiny
microscopic prey, which are filtered out of the water with
special mouth brushes. The tube-shaped tails that
anchor the Mosquito larvae to the surface are actually
used to gather air for breathing. Imagine having a
snorkel on your rear end! Weird!

* 150+ species of Culicidae in N. America

* 3- 15mm long depending on species
* favourite food: organic debris suspended from water
surface
 Black Fly Larva

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Black Fly Larva
Although small, the Black Fly larva is extremely well -
designed for life in running water. To anchor itself in
one place, the Black Fly larva makes a little pad of silky
spit on a rock or other secure surface in the current.
Shaped like a tiny punching bag (wide at the bottom,
skinnier at the top), the Black Fly larva attaches its butt
to the silken pad with Velcro-like hooks. After it is
securely stuck, many species of Black Fly larvae use
two large, hairy fans (modified mouthparts) to filter food
from the current. Black Fly species without a fan will
graze on the organic stuff around their attachment point.

* 260+ species of Simuliidae in N. America

* 3- 15mm long, depending on species
* favourite food: organic debris
* attaches to rocks or other secure places
* medium tolerance for pollution
 Damselfly Larva

Photo credit: McCafferty, W.P.,Aquatic Entomology,1998. www.jbpub.com

 Damselfly Larva
Don’t be fooled by the Damselfly larva’s delicate
appearance. This little, slender-bodied beauty is actually
a well-adapted predator! The large bulging eyes on the
Damselfly larva’s hammer-shaped head enable it to locate
small prey as they swim by. Once the prey has been
spotted, the Damselfly larva shoots out its specialized
bottom lip to catch the victim. After the prey has been
seized, the Damselfly larva folds its lip back towards its
mouth to dine on its new meal.
If you look closely at the rear end of a Damselfly
larva, you will see three leafy-looking tails. These “tails”
work like gills, enabling the Damselfly larva to take oxygen
from the water so it can breathe.

* 650 species of Odonata in N. America

* 10-60 mm long, depending on species
* favourite food: other insects or minnows
* lives on stream bottoms, ponds or lakes
* fairly tolerant of pollution