THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION

Aquatic Invertebrates in Pacific Northwest Freshwater Wetlands
An Identification Guide and Educational Resource

Ceratopogonidae
(biting midges)
Usually with long, slender, cylindrical body, slightly flattened; prolegs may be present or absent; short fleshy appendages at posterior end; retracted proleg may look like a cluster of small hooks

Chaoboridae
(phantom midges)
body often almost transparent; stout antennae with long hairs project down in front of head; thoracic segments fused and usually swollen; cone-shaped head distinct from thorax; no prolegs .

Chironomidae
(non-biting midges)
Abundant and diverse; distinct head capsule separate from thorax; long, narrow, worm-like body; two pairs of prolegs --one on the first thoracic segment and one on the last abdominal segment.

Culicidae
(mosquitoes)
Thoracic segments fused and often swollen; distinct head capsule, somewhat large in comparison to rest of body; prolegs absent; often with short breathing tube on top of last abdominal segment.

Psychodidae
(moth flies)
small, well-defined head capsule; prolegs absent; body segments subdivided, making the body appear to have >25 segments; usually one or more hardened plates on top of some or all segments.