Spotted Hydropsyche Caddisfly vs Whip-scorpion Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spotted Hydropsyche Caddisfly Whip-scorpion Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Hydropsyche slossonae Paederus amazonicus
Order Trichoptera Coleoptera
Family Hydropsychidae Staphylinidae
Size 10-14 mm 7-9 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Detritivores Herbivores
Regions Eastern North America Amazon Basin, tropical South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Spotted Hydropsyche Caddisfly

A net-spinning caddisfly with tan to brown mottled wings. Larvae build intricate silken nets between rocks to capture drifting food particles in stream currents.

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Did You Know?

The mesh size of their silk nets varies by species, allowing different species to partition food resources in the same stream.

Whip-scorpion Rove Beetle

A brightly colored Amazonian rove beetle with orange and metallic blue markings typical of the Paederus genus. It thrives in tropical riverine habitats where it hunts small arthropods in vegetation.

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Did You Know?

Amazonian indigenous peoples have long known to avoid crushing this beetle on skin, having independently discovered the dermatitis-causing properties of pederin.