While #socialdistancing, find a local vernal pool. Vernal pools are temporary forest #wetlands that are important to all kinds of #wildlife. This one is along the trail on the edge of our town. They are very interesting little ecosystems.
#Nature #getoutside @nature_MI

Many species are dependent on vernal pools, because they are fishless, including some salamanders, frogs, dragonflies & fairy shrimp. You can find more information about them at: https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/abstracts/ecology/vernal_pool.pdf

Following are a couple of videos of log-cabin caddisflies (Limnephilids) in the wetland pictured above (which is loaded with them). Caddisflies build cases out of local material, which they carry around for shelter. These caddis use woody & plant material. Others use rocks.

Caddisfly video from vernal pool video #2

And here is a (not as close up) video of a couple of leptocerid caddisfly from the same vernal pool. Their cases are thin and more tubular.