Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica
The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.
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This specimen appears to be of the same species as this one collected in the same spot two months earlier. The identification of both is tentative. This one suffered some physical damage before being photographed, too, so the colors aren't totally natural. I was mostly photographing it to test out some new camera setting idea, which worked really well for a couple of closeups.
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Brown and Green Caddisflies
This common name refers to only one genus. Click its scientific name to learn more.
Caddisfly Genus Rhyacophila
These are very rarely called Brown and Green Caddisflies.
The large free-living larvae of the Rhyacophila genus are among the best-known caddisflies, and for good reason, because their unique biology is both interesting to entomologists and compatible with trout fishing. There are over 100 species, and many of them can be important.
I collected this pupa and several like it from the same stream and on the same day as this larva. I suspect they're the same species. Every pupa I collected was in a brown casing like the one shown in one of the pictures below. I cut this pupa out of its case after a picture so you can see more details. It is close to but not fully developed.
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