Hex Mayflies
Hexagenia limbata
The famous nocturnal Hex hatch of the Midwest (and a few other lucky locations) stirs to the surface mythically large brown trout that only touch streamers for the rest of the year.
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This specimen keys pretty easily to Onocosmoecus, and it closely resembles a specimen from Alaska which caddis expert Dave Ruiter recognized as this genus. As with that specimen, the only species in the genus documented in this area is Onocosmoecus unicolor, but Dave suggested for that specimen that there might be multiple not-yet-distinguished species under the unicolor umbrella and it would be best to stick with the genus-level ID. I'm doing the same for this one.
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Copepods
This common name refers to only one order. Click its scientific name to learn more.
Arthropod Order Copepoda
These are pretty much always called Copepods.
Copepods make up a substantial part of the base of the food chain in many aquatic stillwater systems. They are not as important in trout streams, but I have collected a few from still off-channel habitats.
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