About Climacia areolaris (Hagen, 1861)
Climacia areolaris is a small species of spongillafly. Adult individuals measure just over 3 millimeters from head to wingtips, while third instar larvae reach 3.7 to 4.3 millimeters in length not including their jaws. Both the adult and larval forms of this species have been formally described. Two other species in the genus Climacia occur in the United States, and these can be told apart from C. areolaris by differences including wing pattern. An identification key that covers both adults and larvae of all three Climacia species found in the US is available. The geographic range of C. areolaris extends from its northern limit in Quebec and Nova Scotia, south through the eastern United States. Its westernmost reach is New Mexico, and it also extends south into Florida as well as the Mexican states of Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí. Larvae of this species live in freshwater streams, ponds, and lakes that host adequate populations of their host sponges. Adult C. areolaris are terrestrial and capable of flight.
