Many caddisfly young (larvae) build cases that protect them from predators.
The most common caddisfly in East Canyon creek builds a case out of twigs that it clips and glues together. The cases look like tiny log cabins. Other types make their cases out of plants, grains of sand or little pebbles and some don't even have cases but swim freely.
Most caddisflies scrape microscopic plants and debris of rocks or make nets of silky threads to catch food floating in the water.
Cool Fact:
Caddisfly larvae raised in water with beads instead of sand will make cases out of these beads.
