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Artistic view of a Male Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Adult from the Gallatin River in Montana
Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

Dorsal view of a Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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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Lara Riffle Beetle Larva Pictures

Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Dorsal view of a Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Dorsal view of a Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
This false-color image with contrast extremely boosted shows the structure of the gills that were sometimes retracted inside the abdomen.

Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Ventral view of a Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington
Ruler view of a Lara (Elmidae) Riffle Beetle Larva from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington The smallest ruler marks are 1 mm.

This riffle beetle was collected from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington on May 14th, 2022 and added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 16th, 2022.


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Lara Riffle Beetle Larva Pictures

Collection details
Location: South Fork Snoqualmie River, Washington
Date: May 14th, 2022
Added to site: May 16th, 2022
Author: Troutnut
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