As juveniles, caddisflies are aquatic insects. A number of species make cases out of various debris in the water. These cases serve as their homes and the insects can often be found by looking for various debris-like structures that move at odds to any water current. The juveniles, called larvae, pupate in their cases.
Adult caddisflies look superficially like moths. The antennae are long and slender. (This is not a good picture of an adult but it is the only one that I had from the Park.) A number of species have been found in the Park by sampling the aquatic areas for juveniles.
The diversity of caddisflies is an important indicator in studies of water quality in natural environments.
Note: This is a personal web site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Contact information for the author, Ron Lyons, is accessible through the Index Page referenced below. Thank you.