October Caddis vs Arctic Caddisfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute October Caddis Arctic Caddisfly
Scientific Name Dicosmoecus gilvipes Apatania zonella
Order Trichoptera Trichoptera
Family Limnephilidae Apataniidae
Size 20-28 mm 6-9 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Ponds & Lakes
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions North America Arctic Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard, Arctic Canada
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

October Caddis

A large orange-bodied caddisfly that hatches in autumn on western North American rivers. It is one of the most important late-season food sources for steelhead and salmon.

💡

Did You Know?

October caddis larvae build massive cases from pebbles and can be so abundant that they visibly alter the streambed substrate.

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.

💡

Did You Know?

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