“Net-tube Caddisflies”
Genus Overview
Psychomyia is represented by 3 North American species. Larvae live usually in cool streams on rocks and logs, where they build meandering silken tubes much longer than the larva. These tubes are covered with sand and fine detritus. They scrape and gather diatoms and other fine organic matter from the substrate around the openings of their tubes and sometimes larvae of other insects. Occasionally they harvest fungi and bacteria cultivated in the older end of the tube.
Characteristics
POLLUTION TOLERANCE
Southeast: 2.6
Upper Midwest: 2
Midwest: 1.9
0 = least tolerant, 10 = most tolerant
FEEDING HABITS
Collector / Gatherer
Scraper / Grazer
Scraper / Grazer
MOVEMENT
Clinger
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread (east of the Rocky Mtns.)
HABITAT
Lotic-erosional
Diagnostic Characters
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