Rusty Sedge vs Small Ballast Caddisfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Rusty Sedge Small Ballast Caddisfly
Scientific Name Hydropsyche saxonica Silo pallipes
Order Trichoptera Trichoptera
Family Hydropsychidae Goeridae
Size 10-13 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Rusty Sedge

A net-spinning caddisfly of clean upland European streams sensitive to organic pollution. Larvae construct fine-meshed capture nets between stones.

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Did You Know?

Its presence is used as a biological indicator of excellent water quality in European river assessments.

Small Ballast Caddisfly

A small caddisfly that cements large pebbles to its mineral case for ballast in fast water. Found exclusively in clean calcareous streams.

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Did You Know?

Larvae select ballast stones of remarkably uniform size relative to their body mass.