The BBC yesterday reported the discovery of a very rare fly larvae found right here on the Isle of Wight.
The Environment Agency say that Caddis fly larva of the Molannidae family was found in Horringford on the Eastern Yar last year.
It’s quite a find as freshwater ecologist Emma McSwan tells the BBC,
“Isle of Wight rivers do not tend to contain the same diversity and abundance of invertebrate life as those on the mainland.
“What our find shows is that even a creature that is highly sensitive to water quality can survive in the Eastern Yar.
“That is good news. These species tend to be found in large sandy rivers with good plant growth.”
Although Caddis flies are one of the largest groups of aquatic insects, since 1989 Molannidae have only been identified in 1% of smaples taken in rivers across the Solent and South Downs area.
Image: Owlhere under CC BY-ND 2.0
