#new zealand caddisfly

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#2726 - Fam. Hydrobiosidae

Probably the Common Green Freeliving Caddisfly Hydrobiosis parumbripennis, but most of the Hydrobiosidae look very alike.

If it is that species, they live in stony streams where the first three instars are mostly detritus feeders, then switch to preying on other aquatic insects for the final two instars. The larvae of New Zealand Hydrobiosids have pincers on their forelegs.

Unlike most Caddisflies, these ones don't construct a case for their protection, probably because it would slow them down when they're hunting.

Waipiata, Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Protosynaema eratopis, a Plutellid from Arthurs Pass in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. This colour scheme is remarkably widespread among micromoths and caddisflies

Look you can't just paint eyes on your wings and be a spider--oh, well would you look at that

[ethan-hayward-fmp-year1]

New Zealand Glow Worm Caves

Arachnocampa luminosa:

These flies live from about 6 through 12 months as larvae, depending on food availability. A larva is only about 3–5 mm long when it emerges from its egg, and can grow up to about 3 cm long.

The larva spins a nest out of silk on the ceiling of the cave and then hangs down as many as 70 threads of silk (called snares) from around the nest, each up to 30 or 40 cm long and holding droplets of mucus. The larvae can only live in a place out of the wind, to stop their lines being tangled, hence caves, overhangs or deep rainforest. In some species, the droplets of mucus on the silk threads are poisonous, enhancing the trap's ability to subdue prey quickly.

A larva's glow attracts prey into its threads. The roof of a cave covered with larva can look remarkably like a blue starry sky at night. A hungry larva glows brighter than one that has just eaten.(citation needed) Prey include midges, mayflies, caddisflies, mosquitos, moths, and even small snails or millipedes. When a prey animal is caught by a snare, its larva pulls it up (at up to about 2 mm a second) and feeds on the prey. When Arachnocampa prey are scarce, larvae may show cannibalism, eating other larvae, pupae or adult flies.

The glow is the result of a chemical reaction that involves luciferin, the substrate; luciferase, the enzyme that acts upon luciferin; adenosine triphosphate, the energy molecule; and oxygen. It occurs in modified excretory organs known as Malpighian tubules in the abdomen.

The body of the larva is soft while the head capsule is hard. When it outgrows the head capsule it moults, shedding its skin. This happens four times throughout its life.

At the end of the larva stage, it becomes a pupa, hanging down from the roof of the cave. The pupa stage lasts about 1 or 2 weeks and it glows intermittently. The male stops glowing a few days before emerging, the female's glow increases. The glow from the female is believed to be to attract a mate, and males may be waiting there when she emerges.

The adults of both sexes cannot feed and live only a short time. They glow, but only intermittently. Their sole purpose is to mate, and for the female to lay eggs. Adult insects are poor fliers and so will often remain in the same area, building a colony of glowworms. The female lays a total of about 130 eggs, in clumps of 40 or 50, and dies soon after laying. The eggs hatch after about 20 days and the cycle repeats.

The larvae are sensitive to light and disturbance and will retreat into their nests and stop glowing if they or their snares are touched. Generally they have few predators. Their greatest danger is from human interference.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos

By Bernard Spragg, in the Public Domain

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Name: Hymenolaimus malachorhynchos

Status: Extant

First Described: 1843

Described By: Gray

Classification: Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Galloanserae, Anseriformes, Anseres, Anatoidea, Anatidae

Hymenolaimus, otherwise known as the Whio (pronounced Fee-oh), is an endangered cuk from New Zealand (so, that explains why it’s endangered). The Whio is a rather taxonomically distinct bird, though it’s probably closest to the dabbling ducks. This bird weighs up to 1 kilogram, though usually its a bit less than that. They are dark grey with some greenish color on the heads, with blueish top plumage, and chestnut-speckled chests. They also have pale bills. They look at least a little different depending on whether they’re from the North or South Island populations, but they aren’t different subspecies. They nest in hollow logs and small caves; and believe that and its endangered status, they are rather rare ducks. 

By World Playground, CC BY-SA 3.0

They don’t fly often, but they are powerful swimmers in strong currents. They feed on aquatic invertebrates, especially caddisfly larvae. They nest in August and October, with the female incubating the nest and the male standing guard, though they are at risk from spring floods, making breeding an often difficult endeavor. Currently, there seem to be at maximum 3,000 ducks left in the wild, and its localized population on an ecologically overturned island increases their vulnerability. Conservation efforts, including a five-year management plan, are underway. 

Buy the author a coffee: http://ko-fi.com/kulindadromeus

Source: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_duck

[anumberofhobbies]

“Floodwaters lead to a bumper crop of insects, such as midges, caddisflies, mosquitoes, and mayflies, and also flush ground-dwelling spiders out of their homes or hunting grounds in leaf litter or low vegetation. The silk ensnares the surge of potential prey, Cushing says, and also serves as a ladder of sorts for spiders scrambling for drier ground. “It is very likely a method of escape,” says Caitlin Creak, a graduate student at the Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and Centre for Ecosystem Science at the University of New South Wales.

While some spider species can spend hours or even days submerged, says Creak, many can’t—and when they need to get moving to avoid drowning, some use a tactic called “ballooning,” which entails “releasing a light thread of silk into the wind and letting it carry them away.” Judging by Crossley’s photos of the event, the blanket seems to have been made by members of several web-spinning species, Cushing says. That’s not unusual: When floods sloshed into spider habitats in Finland in 2012, at least 13 spider species were found to have ballooned their way up into the vegetation. The Gippsland balloonists, according to University of Sydney ecologist Dieter Hochuli, speaking to an Australian news channel, may be members of a family known as sheet web spiders, which build horizontal webs and are found across Australia and New Zealand.”

[montmorencycd]

April 11, 2017

Contact:  Seth Herbst, 517-284-5841 or Joanne Foreman, 517-284-5814

Small snail, big problem: Researchers track invasive New Zealand mudsnail in Michigan rivers

New video illustrates key identification points of this invader

A tiny invader is threatening prized trout streams in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula.  A mere 1/8-inch long, the New Zealand mudsnail is barely distinguishable from a grain of sand, but over time its invasive habits can affect the quality and quantity of trout and other fish in the Au Sable, Pere Marquette and Boardman rivers where it has been found.  

New Zealand mudsnails were first discovered in the United States in Idaho’s Snake River in 1987. Since then, infestations have spread throughout the western states and into areas of the Great Lakes. The discovery of New Zealand mudsnails in the Pere Marquette River in August 2015 signaled the first detection in a Michigan inland waterway. Within the next year, populations were confirmed in the Boardman and Au Sable rivers. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed an animated map illustrating the New Zealand mudsnail’s movement through the states.   

What harm can a snail do?

This brown to black mudsnail, a native of New Zealand, is considered invasive and is prohibited in Michigan due to the environmental harm it can cause to rivers, streams and lakes. Because the snail reproduces by cloning (females                          develop complete embryos without fertilization), just one snail can start a population.

One snail can produce over 200 young in a year. Since no natural predators or parasites exist in North America, exponential population growth occurs unchecked, year after year. In some locations in western states, researchers have documented snails reaching densities of 300,000 per square meter. With that many mudsnails, food for other stream invertebrate populations can become scarce.

Fish that feed on native invertebrates like mayflies and caddisflies may find it more difficult to forage. In fact, Seth Herbst, the aquatic invasive species coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division, said that fish will consume New Zealand mudsnails, but due to the snail’s thick shell and a tightly closing “hatch” called the operculum, they offer the fish no nutritional value and actually are commonly indigestible by trout and excreted alive. ��In addition,” Herbst said, “substituting mudsnails for native food sources can reduce the growth and condition and ultimately the abundance of key sport fish including trout.” 

What is Michigan doing to combat the problem?

Once New Zealand mudsnails were positively identified in the Pere Marquette River, the DNR and the Department of Environmental Quality began surveying heavily utilized rivers across the state. Since the discoveries in the Boardman and Au Sable rivers, no new mudsnail locations have been identified. Surveying efforts will continue through the 2017 field season.

Mudsnail distribution

In a project supported by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the DNR and Michigan State University are working together to understand how widely distributed New Zealand mudsnails are in the Pere Marquette River and how these invaders may be affecting native invertebrates.

“We are also taking the opportunity to talk to anglers about their behaviors, whether they travel to multiple fishing spots in a single day, and whether they are washing their gear between visits,” said Dr. Dan Hayes, a professor and associate chair of MSU’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. “Their responses help us understand potential vectors for New Zealand mudsnail transportation.”

A chemical treatment targeting sea lamprey in the Pere Marquette River is scheduled for summer 2017. MSU researchers will use this opportunity to determine what, if any, effect the lampricide treatment has on mudsnails.

Citizen science

With support from the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program, a group of citizen scientists soon will be involved in monitoring for New Zealand mudsnails in the Au Sable and other popular fly-fishing destinations. A partnership between Oakland University, Grand Valley State University, Michigan Trout Unlimited and Anglers of the Au Sable will provide training in mudsnail monitoring and sampling techniques to volunteers from the angling organizations.

Trained volunteers will take to the Au Sable River later this year and will branch out to other popular fly-fishing locations in the next two years to take water samples for environmental DNA testing, collect invertebrate samples from riffles, and spread the word to other anglers about the importance of cleaning gear and boats to prevent the spread of New Zealand mudsnails.  

“Local anglers are familiar with invertebrate communities, they are frequently on the water, and they

 Don’t forget, the Montmorency Conservation District offers a free forester to the residents of Montmorency County to help you learn about programs that are available!

 Brook Alloway, the Montmorency/Alpena Conservation District Forester will be hosting office hours in Atlanta at the Northwood’s Gallery & Gifts, Coffee Shop every month on the first & second Wednesday of the month. She will be there to talk to county residents from 10:30am until 2:30pm. You can call to set up a time for her in advance at (989) 356-3596 ext. 102 or just come in during that time to see her. She can talk to you about your property and answer questions you may have about what’s going on with trees on your property. During your visit with her, you can schedule a time for her to come to your property personally to address any issues you may be having or just to get some insight on what would be good practices to start implementing on your property.

We hope you take advantage of this great opportunity!!

  Add these dates to your calendar so you won’t miss Brook while she is here:

May 3rd, 2017: 10:30am – 2:30pm

May 10th, 2017: 10:30am – 2:30pm

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#2388 - Olinga sp. - Smooth-cased Caddis

Also known as horn-cased caddisfies. The larvae build smooth cases undecorated with sand-grains. Collector-gatherers (feeding on fine particulate organic matter) and shredders (feeding on leaf litter). They're most common in bush covered, cold stony streams of good water quality.

The genus is endemic to New Zealand, with four described species. There are about 12 genera and 40 described species in the Conoesucidae.

Pohokura, North Island, New Zealand

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#2266 - Fam. Hydroptilidae - Microcaddisflies

A large family of tiny caddisflies, rarely exceeding 5mm in size. The 1700 species are found worldwide.

Also known as purse-case caddisflies, because of the shape of the case the larvae build in their final instar.

Taupo, Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand

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#1983 - Triplectides sp - Stick Caddisfly

The last NZ species I’ll be covering until the end of the year when I go over there myself and find more.

photo by @purrdence

Apart from 3 Baltic Amber fossils, the genus is found in Asia from India to Japan; in Indonesia, Papua-New Guinea, all of Australia; on South Pacific Islands including New Hebrides, New Caledonia, and obviously New Zealand; and in South and Central America. Aoteoroa has 5 species, but I don’t know which this one is.

The many species of Triplectides breed in most kinds of watercourse, including cold and warm, unpolluted to moderately polluted, permanent and temporary lakes, ponds, rivers and creeks.  The genus is ubiquitous in Australian waterways, including temporary habitats in the central deserts, and is often the most common caddisfly genus encountered in benthic surveys.

The larvae construct mobile cases usually out of plant matter, but occasionally stones or the cases of other caddisflies. The plant cases can be a hollowed length of stick, or a tubular collection of plant fragments. Their hind legs have dark bands between the leg joints.

These Caddis are shredders, chewing up plant matter. 

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The Great ACT-NSW-NZ Trip, 2023-2024 - Waipiata

An overnight stay at a pub in Waipiata, in an area that looked as dry as inland New South Wales, but still had a surprising variety of aquatic insects showing up on a windowsill overnight. In fact there was some concern about the heat and lack of ran while we were in Aotearoa, when the temperature was reaching the giddy heights of 25C. Back home in Perth it was 43C.

And a bunch of introduced species, too, of course.

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#2708 - Hudsonema sp.

One of two species in the genus, endemic to Aotearoa.

The larvae are common in gravelly, stony, or muddy streams, preferring good water quality. Both species build long narrow cases - Hudsonema alienum attachs rectangular plant fragments in neat spirals along the case, and the stripy-legged Hudsonema amabile uses sand grains.

It's not sure whether they're predators or herbivores - they might be both.

Queenstown, Aotearoa New Zealand

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The Great ACT-NSW-NZ Trip, 2023-2024 - Horopito

Circling around the volcanoes we came to a very small town named after the Pepper Tree Pseudowintera colorata, a 'primitive' flowering shrub with powerful antifungal uses amongst other things. There may well have been some growing around the area, but I didn't recognise it alas.

Still, the place we stayed had some very nice stuff growing around the yard, and a geologically slightly worrying amount of boulders filling the creek. But then Ruapehu did loom at the end of the road, and it's notorious for its lahar landslides.

As previously, here's some of the species I've covered before. Some turned up when I set up an LED lamp near the wall of the house that evening.

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#2599 - Protosynaema eratopis

A VERY rarely recorded moth - the tiny handful of other sightings and collections are all from Arthur's Pass. It happened to be hiding behind a bluebell as I was trying to photograph a tiny Mirid bug.

First described by Edward Meyrick in 1885. One of the few images of the moth online is this illustration from George Hudson's The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand (1927).

The eyespots and diagonal stripes strongly suggest to me that this is a jumping spider mimic - a tactic used by a startling number of unrelated moths, flies and caddisflies.

Petrophila sp. Moth (Crambidae) - photo by Nicky Bay

Here's a selection of more just from the Nearctic. And a paper where neural networks trained on jumping spiders mistook the moths for same.

It's a pretty effective way to discourage attacks from real jumping spiders, given how frequently they'll cannibalise each other. And if the spider attacks anyway, the moth can fly off in an unexpected direction.

Arthur's Pass, Aotearoa New Zealand