Insect Order Trichoptera derives its name from (from trich, hair, and ptera, wings). Commonly known as caddisflies, these moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings. Their appearance betrays their close evolutionary kinship to insect Order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) that also have scales on their wings. Caddisflies have aquatic larvae and that inhabit a wide variety of aquatic environments. Caddisfly pupation also parallels that of Lepidoptera, in a silken cocoon. Adult caddisflies live but 1-2 weeks, when that do not feed and when they mate. Some 12,000 caddisfly species, placed in 45 families and about 600 genera, have been described, estimates have been made that some 50,000 species may exist worldwide.

Gallery of Fossil Caddisfly Images
Large 10 mm Caddisfly in Colombian amber	Detailed Lower Cretaceous Trichopteran from Liaoning, China	Caddisfly in amber	6 mm Caddisfly in Colombian amber:
Family Polycentropidae Dominican Amber Oligocene to Miocene Members of Family Polycentropidae are noted for the net spinning aquatic larvae that are carnivorous. They lie in wait for anything that the current brings along, then reel in their nets to feast. Most of their one year lifespan is taken up in the larval state.