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 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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Dark Blue-Winged Olives
Like most common names,"Dark Blue-Winged Olive" can refer to more than one taxon. They're previewed below, along with 2 specimens. For more detail click through to the scientific names.
Mayfly Species Baetis flavistriga
These are often called Dark Blue-Winged Olives.
This is one of the most widespread and abundant Baetis species, and it may produce fishable hatches under a variety of conditions.
This species is known in angling books by several old synonyms, including Baetis quebecensus, Baetis levitans, Baetis cingulatus, and Baetis phoebus, in addition to the correct name.
This species is known in angling books by several old synonyms, including Baetis quebecensus, Baetis levitans, Baetis cingulatus, and Baetis phoebus, in addition to the correct name.
This nymph keys to Baetis assuming the villipore is present (hard to see in my photos or scope), and within that genus it tentatively keys to the flavistriga species complex, of which Baetis flavistriga itself is by far the most common in Washington state, so that's the most likely ID.
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Mayfly Species Attenella attenuata
These are very rarely called Dark Blue-Winged Olives.
This intriguing species has received a lot of attention in past angling books. Recent authors suspect that much of this credit was a case of mistaken identity, with Attenella attenuata receiving praise for the hatches of Drunella lata and Dannella simplex. Much of the credit was legitimate and accurate, but this species is no longer thought to be on par with its most popular cousins in Ephemerella and Drunella.
I have several specimens listed under this species, but I'm not positive the identification is correct.
I have several specimens listed under this species, but I'm not positive the identification is correct.
This specimen came from the same hatch as a male.
See 2 more specimens...