Mystacides nigra

Description

Length 7 to 10 mm. The adult is about 6 to 9 mm long and has matt looking black wings which have a characteristic fold at the distal extremity, making the rear of the wing look very angular when viewed fom above. They are called 'longhorn' because of their antennae which are threadlike and extremely long, approximately twice the length of the body. The males have distinctly larger eyes than the females and have distinctive large and hairy maxillary palps used in mating.

Similar Species

Mystacides azurea - blue tinged wings

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Streams, rivers, canals and lakes.

When to see it

May to September.

Life History

Caddis flies don't feed as adults and the labial palps (the 'jaws') are modified to act as sensory organs.

UK Status

Local but widespread in Britain

VC55 Status

Not particularly common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
Caddisflies
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Trichoptera
Family:
Leptoceridae
Records on NatureSpot:
2
First record:
31/05/2010 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
23/06/2015 (Calow, Graham)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

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