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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Keying this one out using Zloty & Pritchard 1997:
-No ganglionic markings on sternites 2–8
-Posterior margins of sternits 6–8 without numerous spines
-Mesal gill extension well developed (I really don't like the "well developed" language when it's subjective, but in this case the other option doesn't lead anywhere productive)
-Tails pale in basal 1/3
-Larger species (13–16 mm) — this one is just shy of 12 mm, but closer to 13 than to <10
-Spring emergence
This all points to Ameletus vernalis.
-No ganglionic markings on sternites 2–8
-Posterior margins of sternits 6–8 without numerous spines
-Mesal gill extension well developed (I really don't like the "well developed" language when it's subjective, but in this case the other option doesn't lead anywhere productive)
-Tails pale in basal 1/3
-Larger species (13–16 mm) — this one is just shy of 12 mm, but closer to 13 than to <10
-Spring emergence
This all points to Ameletus vernalis.
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Not even fishing this time
Not even fishing this time
By Troutnut on May 5th, 2023
My wife and I went to the the Camlann Medieval Village in the foothills of the Cascades east of Seattle last night, which was the last place I expected to collect bugs for the website. But there was small creek rushing through the valley below, and reflexes kicked in when this stonefly flew past my face. It mostly survived the ride home in a random pocket of my wife's purse, minus a couple legs and antennal segments. It made for some good pictures, especially closeups of the four red mites riding its back.
Closeup insects by Troutnut from Harris Creek in Washington
I was not fishing, but happened to be at an unrelated social event on a hill above this tiny creek (which I never even saw) when this stonefly flew by me. I assume it came from there. Some key characteristics are tricky to follow, but process of elimination ultimately led me to Sweltsa borealis. It is reassuringly similar to this specimen posted by Bob Newell years ago. It is also so strikingly similar to this nymph from the same river system that I'm comfortable identifying that nymph from this adult. I was especially pleased with the closeup photo of four mites parasitizing this one.