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Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York
Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.
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Caddisfly Species Rhyacophila bifila (Green Sedges)

Where & when

Time of year : Early to mid-summer

In 23 records from GBIF, adults of this species have mostly been collected during July (43%), August (22%), June (13%), and September (9%).

In 4 records from GBIF, this species has been collected at elevations of 5420, 6398, 7142, and 7480 ft.

Species Range

Hatching behavior

Time of day : Evening

Trout may feed heavily on the emerging pupae.

Larva & pupa biology

Current speed: Fast

Substrate: Boulders


Start a Discussion of Rhyacophila bifila

References

Caddisfly Species Rhyacophila bifila (Green Sedges)

Taxonomy
Species Range
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