A variant spelling of caddisfly; a small insect similar to a moth whose aquatic larva builds a protective tube case from sand and plant material.
Compound of 'caddice' (variant of caddis) + 'fly'. The term emerged because adult caddisflies superficially resemble flies despite being in their own insect order (Trichoptera). The 'caddis' element origin is debated, possibly deriving from cloth-making terms since the larval cases resemble woven material.
Caddisflies are aquatic insect engineers—their larvae construct cases from whatever's available: sand, leaves, pebbles. Some species show aesthetic preferences, choosing matching colors! Trout and salmon adore them, making caddisflies crucial to both ecosystems and fly-fishing, which is why fishing culture has so many terms for this single creature.
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