cryptkeeper Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 What in the heck is this?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 Dragonfly nymph? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T. Payne Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 Agree dragon fly nymph. Be careful they are voracious fry eaters. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryptkeeper Posted April 1 Author Share Posted April 1 Well it's been destroyed but do I likely have more?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T. Payne Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 The only time I've had these show up is when I either brought in plants from my ponds and introduced them to my indoor tanks or if I recently purchased plants from a Florida nursery that houses the plants outdoors. How you done either one of these recently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryptkeeper Posted April 1 Author Share Posted April 1 No pond and my plants come from CA and KY. But that's not to say it didn't come in on them...when you get them is it like an explosion in population or is it easy to keep on top of and eliminate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 probably not dragonfly nymph. dragonfly nymphs are very substantial. girthy as it were. possible caddisfly nymph. would need a closer look 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 (edited) the long thin area behind the legs looks like the shell some caddisflies make for protection. I say make, but what they actually do is glue bits of shell and rock together to form a shield covering most of their bodies bit far away and blurry for good id though They would live in shallow areas in rivers and streams. they prefer running water. if you have anything close. Edited April 1 by Tony s much cleaner 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryptkeeper Posted April 1 Author Share Posted April 1 I did take a video but it won't upload, but I think you are right, it does look like a caddisfly in the video, it looks like it is inside of that shell! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 honestly, that was my degree. but that was 30+ years ago. back then i could have told you the genus, more than likely. very rusty now 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryptkeeper Posted April 1 Author Share Posted April 1 Well you solved the mystery so I thank you! 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 for comparison 2 of the bigger genuses of dragonfly. basically the same size and shape as the adult with no wings. they don't really add size when molting dragonfly nymph genus gomphidae genus libellulidae nymph 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 caddisflies nymph then adult. adult does look like a moth but very triangular from the front. wings meet in the middle and fold down and out 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Yup thats a caddisfly larvae. They are ubiquitous in NA and construct their cocoons out of different available materials using saliva and maybe even a spinerette style thing (think spiders)? They are harmless detritivores that start emerging this time of year as a larvae. Takes anywhere from a few months to a year to pupate and turn into a caddisfly. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryptkeeper Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 On 4/2/2024 at 9:06 AM, Biotope Biologist said: Yup thats a caddisfly larvae. They are ubiquitous in NA and construct their cocoons out of different available materials using saliva and maybe even a spinerette style thing (think spiders)? They are harmless detritivores that start emerging this time of year as a larvae. Takes anywhere from a few months to a year to pupate and turn into a caddisfly. Yup it's definitely that. I just watched another one swim over to my hornwort. So am I gonna have these things flying around my house when they turn into a caddisfly?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 On 4/3/2024 at 7:42 PM, cryptkeeper said: gonna have these things flying around my house when they turn into a caddisfly?! Yes. But they’re rather small. Kinda like a midsize moth. With long antennae And they won’t stay around long either 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt B Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 Cool. 😎 I'm in the process of setting up a small tank of local native species and Caddisfly nymphs are on my list of things under stream stones to put in the tank. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryptkeeper Posted April 6 Author Share Posted April 6 On 4/6/2024 at 7:59 AM, Matt B said: Cool. 😎 I'm in the process of setting up a small tank of local native species and Caddisfly nymphs are on my list of things under stream stones to put in the tank. I would gladly send you mine! 🤣 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 On 4/6/2024 at 7:59 AM, Matt B said: I'm in the process of setting up a small tank of local native species and Caddisfly nymphs are on my list of things under stream stones to put in the tank They’re relatively easy to collect. We used some screen wire between 2 small poasts. Then went into the riffle areas of a nearby river. And started kicking up stones. Not sure how long they’d last in captivity. They need a lot of moving water. You can also use the screen method to find other things near the shore, if you have a bit of a drop off. We found a huge megaloptera larvae. Which was very cool. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 As a kid I kept batches of tadpoles in large tubs full of water. I would just pop a couple sponge filters in and bring them fresh spring water for water changes. You can find pretty much any of these larvae in vernal pools as well so they aren’t super fussy about water quality. But for whatever reason the tadpoles did not like tap water. Anyway it takes dragonfly nymphs, caddisfly larvae, and even megaloptera nymphs several hours on a rock or grass to pupate and have wings to fly on, so it’s pretty easy to catch them and throw them outside before they fly off! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt B Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 Match the Hatch! 🪰 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 (edited) On 4/6/2024 at 8:59 AM, Tony s said: megaloptera larvae dobsonflies Edited April 6 by Tony s 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt B Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 @Biotope Biologist My rubbermaid Tadpole tub, next to the Wine barrel pond! I just set it up early spring with some rocks, water Hyacinths and a piece of driftwood...the frogs do all the work and. Presto! Tadpoles! We did have a Dragon Fly emerge last year in the pond! So cool to watch! 😎 @Tony s That looks like a great Brook Trout snack! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt B Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Dragon fly larvae in the Tadpole tub! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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