Assessing adult Trichoptera communities of small streams: a case study from Charnwood Forest,Leicestershire, UK

1. Adult caddisflies were collected using non‐attracting Malaise traps at four sites on a small headwater stream from May to November 1990. Sites S1 and S2 were most natural and upstream of a reservoir; where S3 was located in the bypass channel, and S4, downstream. 2. The flight period for each species is recorded to provide baseline data. Flight activity patterns fall into two groupings: (a) species with a flight activity of 3–4 months, and (b) those species with a short flight period of up to 6 weeks. 3. Sixty‐one species from 15 families were collected, including the endangered Red Data Book species Tinodes pallidulus McLachlan. 4. Significant differences in community parameters are shown among all sites, many species apparently having local catchment areas. The influence of artificial habitats, the open bypass channel and adjacent reservoir, is clearly demonstrated. 5. The data illustrate the potential of using adult caddisflies in conservation assessment of small streams. Working with adults is taxonomically rigorous and they are useful bioindicators of the environmental quality of the valley floor corridor. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.