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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.

Lateral view of a Clostoeca disjuncta (Limnephilidae) (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
This one was surprisingly straightforward to identify. The lack of a sclerite at the base of the lateral hump narrows the field quite a bit, and the other options followed fairly obvious characteristics to Clostoeca, which only has one species, Clostoeca disjuncta.
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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Dark Grannoms

Like most common names,"Dark Grannom" can refer to more than one taxon. For more detail click through to the scientific names.

Caddisfly Species Brachycentrus numerosus

These are often called Dark Grannoms.
In Caddisflies, Gary LaFontaine attributed the famous spring hatch on the Beaverkill (now known as the "Apple Caddis") to this species. After that publication, entomologists described that major hatch as a new species -- Brachycentrus appalachia.

Brachycentrus numerosus is probably still important in many locations.

Caddisfly Species Brachycentrus lateralis

These are sometimes called Dark Grannoms.
Gary LaFontaine describes this as a "sister species" of Brachycentrus numerosus. It is similar in most respects except that it emerges a couple weeks later.

Caddisfly Species Brachycentrus nigrosoma

These are sometimes called Dark Grannoms.
This is a smaller, darker cousin of Brachycentrus numerosus.

References

  • LaFontaine, Gary. 1981. Caddisflies. The Lyons Press.
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