The Insect That Built Itself Armour Out Of Gold And Gemstones
Give this larva gold and jewels, and it builds itself a case out of them.
Which one is REALLY true about the Caddisfly Larva?
The short version
A caddisfly larva cements a protective case from whatever the riverbed offers. Given gold flakes, pearls and gemstones by an artist, it built itself jewellery.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The Caddisfly Larva spins silk into a tube and then cements sand grains, pebbles and snail shells onto the outside of it.
- ✓The Caddisfly Larva is soft, slow and completely defenceless without its case, so it drags its armour everywhere it goes.
- ✓The Caddisfly Larva builds with whatever the riverbed happens to offer, which is why no two cases look quite the same.
- ✓The Caddisfly Larva was handed gold flakes, pearls and cut gemstones by a French artist, and calmly built itself cases out of jewellery.
- ✓The Caddisfly Larva grows up into a small moth-like flying insect and leaves the water behind.
You could line up about 41 of them along a 7-year-old!
The full story
This insect builds its own armour out of whatever it can find on the riverbed. A caddisfly larva is soft, slow, and completely defenceless, so the first thing it does is build a case. It spins silk into a tube, then decorates the outside with whatever the river provides. Sand grains, tiny pebbles, snail shells, fragments of stick, cemented on one piece at a time until it is wearing a custom suit of armour that it drags around everywhere. And it will use absolutely anything. A French artist put caddisfly larvae into tanks filled with gold flakes, pearls and cut gemstones. The larvae did exactly what they always do. They built themselves cases out of gold and jewels, and then walked around inside them. Follow for more weird animal facts.
Watch the 45-second version
Watch it on the channel.
Caddisfly Larva gallery
Check what you learned
No score, no pressure — just see what stuck. Tap Real or Fake.
“The Caddisfly Larva spins silk into a tube and then cements sand grains, pebbles and snail shells onto the outside of it.”
“The Caddisfly Larva has a dagger-shaped claw up to five inches long on each foot, and can slash with a single kick.”
“The Caddisfly Larva is soft, slow and completely defenceless without its case, so it drags its armour everywhere it goes.”