Troglobitic springtail, Pseudosinella hirsuta. Arthropoda: Insecta: Collembola: Entomobryidae Alabama Troglobitic ground beetle, Pseudanophthalmus lodingi lodingi (in green circle, fingertip for scale). Arthropoda: Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae Alabama Another troglobitic ground beetle. Arthropoda: Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae Coahuila, Mexico The trogloxenic moth Scoliopteryx libatrix (Linnaeus), Order Lepidoptera, Family Noctuidae (Class Insecta) in an Illinois cave. Photo by Steve Taylor, 2000. The troglophilic fly, Macrocera nobilis, is commonly seen in the larval stage. Larvae of this fly are called "monorail worms" or "webworms" because they move back and forth along webs they construct, much like a monorail. Larvae are predators, feeding on small arthropods that become trapped in their webs. Adults are delicate, leggy flies similar to crane flies in body form. These common cave inhabitants belong to the Order Diptera, Family Mycetophilidae (Class Insecta), and are not true worms. Photo by Steve Taylor, 2003, Pulaski County, Missouri. [Go Back to Cave Critters]

Illinois Natural History Survey

This page is maintained by Steve Taylor. Please email sjtaylor@inhs.uiuc.edu with comments and corrections. Created 21 January 2001, last modified 22 February 2006.