Arctic Caddisfly vs Paddle-tailed Darner

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Arctic Caddisfly Paddle-tailed Darner
Scientific Name Apatania zonella Aeshna palmata
Order Trichoptera Odonata
Family Apataniidae Aeshnidae
Size 6-9 mm 65-75 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Arctic Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard, Arctic Canada North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Arctic Caddisfly

A small, hairy-winged caddisfly with dark brown wings held tent-like over the body. Larvae build portable cases from sand grains and small stones. It is one of the most northerly distributed caddisflies in the world.

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Did You Know?

Some Arctic populations of this caddisfly reproduce by parthenogenesis, with females producing offspring without mating.

Paddle-tailed Darner

A large, boldly marked darner of western North America with distinctive paddle-shaped cerci. Males have bright blue and green abdominal spots.

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Did You Know?

Its uniquely flattened, paddle-shaped cerci are unlike those of any other North American darner.