Photos

Not every insect glows in brilliant colours like the dragon and damselfys I normally post but I feel this is also of intrest and worth people looking at to learn about the great variety of life on this planet.
Phyrygrnea grandis more commonly known as a CADDISDFLY or Large Red Sedge, this one turns out to be the largest of the species found in the UK with a wing span of 64mm. / 2.5inches,and the antennae is aslong as the wings, and preffers slow moving or still water which our lake is, and having seen a couple more since we probable have a breeding population. This on I found fluttering on the surface of the water and lifted it out with a net and placed on a twig to dry out.It was unusual to see one out in daylight as they are evening and nighttime flyers, would think this one had been disturbed by a bird and knocked onto the water where I found it.
Most larvae of the caddisfly live under water and contrust home from bits of stone twigs or plants which they drag round with them extending as they grow, this depends on species this one uses pieces of leaf, again while other spieces catch tiny water life this one feeds on algae and plant fragments. after a years the pupate within thier home and emerge after 2-3 weeks, to try and find a mate in the next week which is the average life span of an adult.
Apparently they are favoured as bait by fishermen as many fish think of them as good food as do many birds, and bats too as they are night flyers.
after 1hr drying it flew off and settled under a wooden seat where it would be safe from observation.
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