The Caddisfly, known scientifically as Trichoptera has recently become one of the most important jewelry designers in the world with various designers using these water-based larvae to create new jewelry. The French artist and jewelry designer, Hubert Duprat is usually seen as the father of the modern drive to create jewelry from the Caddisfly. Born in 1957, Duprat struck upon the idea of using the Caddisfly in the early-1980s when he became interested in the natural lifestyle of the insect larvae.
In their natural stream habitats, the Caddisfly makes its way along the riverbed picking up various pieces of wood, metal, and rock to create a protective shell for itself. Jewelry is created by artists such as Hubert Duprat who place precious metals, such as gold flakes in an enclosed environment where they are housed with precious materials and stones to create their protective shells. Once the shell has been created by the Caddisfly it is removed and used as jewelry naturally produced by the insect without the interference of human beings. The beauty of the protective tubes created by the larvae of the Caddisfly is enhanced by the fact the insect stitches together the various pieces of precious metals with the silk it naturally produces to form its protective shells when living on the stream or river bed.
