Stick Caddisfly
The stick caddisfly has an extremely soft body in need of protection. As such, stick caddisflies form casings from twigs and other hard plant materials. They may also use abandoned snail shells, which they adhere to themselves with saliva. After a stick caddisfly has completed its casing, it is often difficult to identify it as an insect. The only indicators that a stick caddisfly is not an inanimate twig are its legs.
Stick caddisflies typically live near slow-moving bodies of fresh water and help in maintaining the balance of the aquatic ecosystem. Stick caddisfly larvae act as a food source for fish and adults feed on zooplankton, which live near the mouths of rivers and along the perimeters of lakes. Stick caddisflies cannot survive in polluted water; large populations typically indicate healthy, balanced environments.