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Dicosmoecus gilvipes is a species of northern caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae. This particular caddisfly is found in and near streams of North America, from northern California and Colorado to British Columbia and as eastern to Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alberta. D. gilvipes is commonly known as the October Caddis or Autumn Caddis, due to their adult presence being acknowledged in the fall.

Lifecycle
Every species of Dicosmoecus has five stages of larvae, labeled as instars I-V, within a univoltine, single-cohort growth and emergence pattern.

Egg masses have been reported to be found on leaves of trees that are above streams and on stems of Carex sedges found along streams, suggesting females oviposit onto streams in autumn. (Describe instar stages and insert summary of lifecycle. Can only find off of a website).

Anatomy
Larvae anatomy consist of various sizes of setae along the body. On the anterior and ventral surfaces of the labrum is covered in lon setae, shorter setae on the middle inner labral and dense setae on the lower labium and maxillae.

Instar I
Typically found in early spring, this instar stage is one of the first species to colonize streams that have been scoured by high flood events. Instar I larvae cases are constructed with an overlapping pattern consisting of fine twigs and needles.

Instar IV
Larvae reaches the fourth instar stage during late April. Instar IV cases consisted of coarse sand grain at their anterior and needles and twigs at their posterior.

Instar V
The fifth instar stage is where the larvae is at its largest, ~30 mm in length, with 40 mm being the maximum length reported. This final stage occurs around late summer, the larvae are active until water temperature drop to 0-2 C, during November or December. At this point, larvae attach their cases at their anterior to the underside of rocks and boulders.

Habitat
D. gilvipes occur in the Nearctic and eastern Palaearctic regions. This species can be found in and near streams within mid-elevations.

Flight & Reproduction
Males fly more often than females, due to the release of pheromones. Females limit flying to make their pheromone trail more apparent to the males for mating. Copulation between mating pairs can last up to 16 hours, and the pair stay together until throughout the attraction period to ensure the female mates with one male.

Diet
D. gilvipes larvae are categorized as scraper-grazers. They are grazers of periphyton attached to the submerged rocks in the rivers. They typically eat Diatoms (Synedra ulna and Achnanthes lanceolate) and filamentous algal (Stigeoclonium tenueetae, Ulothrix spp., and Klebsormidium fluitans) with the occasion detritus.

Case Building
D. gilvipes have glands that produce strong silk, they use this silk to help encase their bodies with a suit of armor. During their early life stages of larvae their armor will consist of mostly of leaves and twigs, having more buoyancy while they live on the edge of streams for the ease of transportation during high flows. During late spring and early summer, the armor is reconstructed with gravel as the larvae move into deeper water.