20 Years Discovering: Neophylax kolodskii

To celebrate #20YearsDiscovering with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we’re sharing a genus of caddisfly with you this week!

Neophylax kolodskii was named in honor of Park Ranger Joe Kolodski, who was shot and killed while on duty. The description was published in 2000, by Charles Parker, former USGS employee stationed in GRSM. It was collected at a black light near a stream at a relatively high elevation.

The species is extremely rare, only known to be found in three locations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This genus of caddisfly emerges in the fall, and its eggs are laid out of water. The larvae make their nests out of pebbles held together by silk for protection, camouflage and possibly respiration.