Lateral view of a Female Hexagenia limbata (Ephemeridae) (Hex) Mayfly Dun from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

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.

View from Upper to Lower Titcomb Lake

From Titcomb Basin in Wyoming

Stream photos

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In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Bwoklink (Martinlf replied)

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Glossosoma (Little Brown Short-horned Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Glossosoma (Little Brown Short-horned Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Glossosoma (Glossosomatidae) (Little Brown Short-horned Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

I caught this tiny larva without a case, but it seems to key pretty clearly to to Glossosomatidae. From there, the lack of sclerites on the mesonotum points to either Glossosoma or Anagapetus. Although it's difficult to see in a 2D image from the microscope, it's pretty clear in the live 3D view that the pronotum is only excised about 1/3 of its length to accommodate the forecoxa, not 2/3, which points to Glossosoma at Couplet 5 of the Key to Genera of Glossosomatidae Larvae.

11 Recently Added Photos

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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Updates from May 9, 2009

Closeup insects by Bnewell from the Big Thompson River in Montana

Cinygmula reticulata (Western Ginger Quill) Mayfly Nymph

1 Picture

Cinygmula reticulata (Heptageniidae) (Western Ginger Quill) Mayfly Nymph from the Big Thompson River in Montana

I collected several live specimens of nymphs and reared them to the imago stage. They were C. reticulata. The interesting thing is they were collected in May and were emerging along with Rhithrogena (March Brown). This seems to be an overlooked hatch since in some rivers it emerges very early, before runoff.

Collected May 9, 2009 from the Big Thompson River in Montana

Added by Bnewell on June 26, 2011

Collected May 9, 2009 from the Big Thompson River in Montana and added by Bnewell on June 26, 2011