Newswise — Many of us who look at Caddisflies think yuck, insects (unless you're a trout, and think yum, dinner). But Kathy and Ben Stout see something entirely different: thousands of tiny workers, meticulously building jewelry pieces out of semiprecious stones. That's right - the couple has turned this aquatic insect, found in mountain streams, into a miniature work force that constructs one-of-a-kind jewelry items out of material including garnet, malachite, lapis and tiger's eye.
Ben, 40, an associate professor of biology at Wheeling (West Virginia) Jesuit University, and Kathy, 35, who holds a degree in wildlife biology, came up with the idea of caddisfly-created jewelry as a result of his research. In the insect's larval stage in creeks, it builds a case or cocoon around itself out of sticks, leaves and even stones. "I was always fascinated with their case making abilities," says Kathy.
The Stouts decided to turn their garage in suburban Wheeling into a simulated stream ecosystem and supply the thousands of Caddisflies they collected with gemstones - instead of creek substance - for building material. Sure enough, the Caddisflies carefully built their oblong or teardrop-shaped cases, each about 3/4-inch long by 1/4-inch wide, out of the new material. Once they eventually vacated the cases and flew off, the Stouts had only to apply epoxy and start making jewelry (prices run from about $25 for earrings to several hundred dollars for more elaborate pieces). Luckily, when Kathy tells customers how the jewelry is made, "They look really wide-eyed," she says, "like, 'you're kidding me.' but very few seem turned off." In fact, even the neighbors have gotten into the spirit of things-they shut off their bug zappers.
Kathy and Ben Stout have been studying Caddisflies for nearly two decades. Perhaps the most fascinating part of their life cycle is their case building behavior, and case building has been the subject of much of their research. A few years ago Ben was presenting a Caddisfly research paper at a meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A fellow scientist had made some earrings from cases of Caddisflies he had been studying, and Ben purchased a pair for Kathy at the meeting.That afternoon, Ben went to downtown Santa Fe and was really impressed with the beautiful artwork displays of the Native Americans, particularly their use of gemstones. Bingo!
When Ben got home he said "Kathy, if we can get these Caddisflies to build their cases out of gemstones we'll really have something special." Two years later and after many failed experiments, it happened: the Caddisflies began to build their cases out of gemstones.
Today they fracture, sort and polish gemstones to a fine finish and provide them to the Caddisflies in a simulated stream ecosystem. They feed the Caddis very well, keep their water clean, and raise them through adulthood. When their day comes we simply open the windows and doors of their laboratory and let the adult Caddisflies fly away. The Caddisflies fly off to mate and lay their eggs, while we take their abandoned cases and recycle them into beautiful Nature Crafted Jewelry. Their special attention to the needs of these wonderful insects has given us great marks from some of the world's leading authorities on freshwater ecosystems. Ben says, quite frankly, "I have been able to teach more people about the importance of these organisms through my jewelry than I have through all of my research and teaching.
It is a real challenge to convey the knowledge of science research to non-scientists, and the Caddisfly jewelry has helped tremendously. I thought everyone knew what Caddisflies were. "The truth is, we are only just beginning to recognize the importance of these organisms to a balanced and functional river system."
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