Portable cases protect from predators: caddisflies

1 of 1 Camouflaged caddisfly case / Zen Sutherla.. / License

Some caddisflies protect themselves from predators by building portable cases out of local materials - such as pebbles, sand, and aquatic plants - that are cemented together with silk or mucus.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Maintain physical integrity >
	Protect from biotic factors >
	Animals

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Durable but ultimately biodegradable packaging materials that utilize local materials, protective car seats that "grow" with the size of a child, size-flexible seating for vehicles.

[Collapse all sections] Summary

"There are a number of invertebrates (animals without backbones) that construct cases for themselves from materials abundant in their environments, like sand, pebbles, shells, and plant materials. These bits and pieces are cemented together with silky or mucous secretions from the creature. Caddis flies and sabellid or honeycomb tubeworms are two common examples. Whereas caddis flies appear to randomly select objects of varying sizes, honeycomb tubeworms select particles of uniformly small size for the primary layer of their tubes." (Biomimicry Guild unpublished report)

About the inspiring organism

Trichoptera
Trichoptera

Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Durable but ultimately biodegradable packaging materials that utilize local materials, protective car seats that "grow" with the size of a child, size-flexible seating for vehicles.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Packaging, car seats, transportation

Portable cases protect from predators: caddisflies

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