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 one seems to tentatively key to Holocentropus, although I can't make out the anal spines in Couplet 7 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae nor the dark bands in Couplet 4 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae, making me wonder if I went wrong somewhere in keying it out. I don't see where that could have happened, though. It might also be that it's a very immature larva and doesn't possess all the identifying characteristics in the key yet. If Holocentropus is correct, then Holocentropus flavus and Holocentropus interruptus are the two likely possibilities based on range, but I was not able to find a description of their larvae.
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Moths
This common name refers to only one order. Click its scientific name to learn more.
Insect Order Lepidoptera
These are pretty much always called Moths.
The order Lepidoptera includes both butterflies and moths, but moths are the most important to the angler because so many species spend part of their lives underwater. These aquatic species are similar in many ways to caddisflies.
Many species, of course, are not aquatic at all.
Many species, of course, are not aquatic at all.
I have been told this is the only western aquatic moth, Petrophila confusalis, see here on milkweed blossoms.
I caught this inchworm lowering itself to the surface of a trout stream from its silk thread. I saw a couple others floating on the surface, so it's likely the trout were familiar with them.
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