Integripalpia  

Integripalpia are the most speciose trichopteran suborder with xxx species, according to the Trichoptera World Checklist (Morse, 2010). Integripalpia are common, and cosmopolitan. Larvae construct tubular cases, made from a wide variety of materials, and in a wide variety of architechture. The larva extends its head and legs out the anterior end of the case as it feeds and crawls on the substrate. To increase the size of the case, they simply extend or add to the anterior end with each larval instar, eventually pupating inside the slightly modified larval case. Case-making larvae are primarily detritivores. They feed by shredding and ingesting dead leaves and other plant parts largely of riparian origin. Predation is also common among the case-makers, but herbivory on living plants is less common. Other casemakers feed by scraping the diatoms, other algae, and fine detritus that makes up the periphyton or biofilm. A very few are filterers or snag drifting prey.

Weaver (1984) restricted the concept of Integripalpia to include only the Limnephiloidea of Ross, and this is the sense in which it is used here.