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 one seems to lead to Couplet 35 of the Key to Genera of Perlodidae Nymphs and the genus Isoperla, but I'm skeptical that's correct based on the general look. I need to get it under the microscope to review several choices in the key, and it'll probably end up a different Perlodidae.
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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.