order
                        
                      
                                    Coleoptera
                                       “Adult Beetles”
                                  
                                    Coleoptera
                                       “Larval Beetles”
                                  
                                    Diptera
                                       “True Flies”
                                  
                                    Ephemeroptera
                                       “Mayflies”
                                  
                                    Hemiptera
                                       “True Bugs”
                                  
                                    Lepidoptera
                                       “Aquatic Caterpillars, Snout Moths”
                                  
                                    Megaloptera
                                       “Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies”
                                  
                                    Odonata
                                       “Dragonflies and Damselflies”
                                  
                                    Plecoptera
                                       “Stoneflies”
                                  
                                    Trichoptera
                                       “Caddisflies”
                                 family
                        
                     Lepidostomatidae
               
            genus
                     Lepidostoma
            
                  “Scaly-mouth caddisflies”
               
      Genus Overview
                  
               
                        There are about 75 North American species in this commonly encountered genus. Larvae can be up to 12.5 mm long. Cases are usually made of plant materials, often four-sided, made of rectangular strips of bark or leaves; however sometimes of sand or plant stems; young larvae often build cases of sand, then transition to leaves as they grow. They prefer small or intermittent headwater streams and springs. They are primarily shredding detritivores.
                  
               Characteristics
                  
               POLLUTION TOLERANCE
                        Southeast: 1
                                 Upper Midwest: 1
                                 Mid-Atlantic: 1
                              0 = least tolerant, 10 = most tolerant
                        FEEDING HABITS
                        
                                 Shredder / Detritivore
                        
                     MOVEMENT
                        
                                 Climber
Clinger
Sprawler
                        
                     Clinger
Sprawler
DISTRIBUTION
                        
                                 Widespread (east of the Rocky Mtns.)
                        
                     HABITAT
                        
                                 Lotic-depositional
Lotic-erosional
                        
                     Lotic-erosional
Diagnostic Characters
               order
                         
                                       
                                       
                                    Prolegs With Single Hook
                                 family
                         
                                       
                                       
                                    Antenna Next To Eye
                                  
                                       
                                       
                                    Lateral Humps
                                  
                                       
                                       
                                    Leafy Case
                                 
                  + Expanded Character List
                  
                     
               
            
                        Order:
                           Larvae: Wings/wing pads absent. Eye spots present, but compound eyes absent. Antennae usually small, inconspicuous. Three pairs of segmented legs present on thorax. Pair of anal prolegs, each with single hook, located on last abdominal segment. Larvae can be free-living, in silken retreats attached to substrate, or in usually-portable tubes or cases made of sand, rocks, or plant material.
                     
                     
                        Family:
                           Labrum usually with only 6 setae arranged transversely across central area. Antennae small, always situated directly next to eyes. Pronotum and mesonotum sclerotized. Pronotum sometimes with distinct lobes at anterior corners. Metanotum mostly membranous; pair of anteromesal (sa1) sclerites dorsally with several setae, but each always with at least 1 seta. Lateral humps always present on abdominal segment I, but not always conspicuous. Median dorsal hump absent from abdominal segment I. Larval cases varying in architecture and materials. 
                     
                     
                        Genus:
                           Anteroventral apotome subequal to or longer than posteroventral ecdysial line separating genae. Larval case usually rectangular in cross section, constructed of rectangular pieces of leaves or bark, pieces may be in varying shapes or case may be of sand grains.
                     
                   
                   
                   
                   
            Dorsal
               Lateral
               Ventral
               Case
               


 
                                                
                                             