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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Little black Quills
Like most common names,"Little Black Quill" can refer to more than one taxon. They're previewed below, along with 1 specimen. For more detail click through to the scientific names.
Mayfly Genus Teloganopsis
These are pretty much always called Little black Quills.
This genus contains a single species in the U.S., previously identified as Serratella deficians (Little Dark Olive). Teloganopsis deficians (Darth Vader Dun) can be important in the East where it's little dark (almost black) winged duns are hard to mistake for several other common dark ephemerellids.
This genus is unrepresented in the West.
This genus is unrepresented in the West.
This nymph has tiny, barely detectable tubercles on its abdominal segments, and I could not find the maxillary palpi. I tentatively guessed that it is Serratella deficiens back when that was a thing; the species is now known as Teloganopsis deficiens. One of the key characteristics, tarsal claws with a subapical denticle being larger than the preceding denticles, seems to be visible in some of the pictures.
Mayfly Species Teloganopsis deficiens
These are pretty much always called Little black Quills.
Anglers in western Wisconsin, where these little flies hatch in good numbers on summer rivers, have termed them "Darth Vaders" because of the very dark color of their wings.
Until recently, this species was known as Serratella deficiens.
Until recently, this species was known as Serratella deficiens.
This nymph has tiny, barely detectable tubercles on its abdominal segments, and I could not find the maxillary palpi. I tentatively guessed that it is Serratella deficiens back when that was a thing; the species is now known as Teloganopsis deficiens. One of the key characteristics, tarsal claws with a subapical denticle being larger than the preceding denticles, seems to be visible in some of the pictures.