Blue-winged Olives
Baetis
Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.
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This one seems to tentatively key to Holocentropus, although I can't make out the anal spines in Couplet 7 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae nor the dark bands in Couplet 4 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae, making me wonder if I went wrong somewhere in keying it out. I don't see where that could have happened, though. It might also be that it's a very immature larva and doesn't possess all the identifying characteristics in the key yet. If Holocentropus is correct, then Holocentropus flavus and Holocentropus interruptus are the two likely possibilities based on range, but I was not able to find a description of their larvae.
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Caddisfly Family Rhyacophilidae (Green Sedges)
See Rhyacophila for details. It is an extremely important trout stream genus, containing well over 100 American species.
The other genus, Himalopsyche, contains only one relatively unimportant American species.
The other genus, Himalopsyche, contains only one relatively unimportant American species.
Where & when
In 1217 records from GBIF, adults of this family have mostly been collected during June (24%), July (21%), May (18%), August (17%), September (7%), and April (6%).
In 610 records from GBIF, this family has been collected at elevations ranging from 10 to 23622 ft, with an average (median) of 3652 ft.
Family Range
Identification
To further identify a specimen of Rhyacophilidae to the genus level, use the Key to Genera of Rhyacophilidae Adults.
Specimens of the Caddisfly Family Rhyacophilidae
1 Adult
3 Pupae
This was a neat, rare view into a Rhyacophila caddisfly just beginning to pupate, with the features of the larva still clearly visible inside.
I collected this pupa and several like it from the same stream and on the same day as this larva. I suspect they're the same species. Every pupa I collected was in a brown casing like the one shown in one of the pictures below. I cut this pupa out of its case after a picture so you can see more details. It is close to but not fully developed.
Even though I already have pictures of a Rhyacophila pupa in its cocoon, I took this one and then tried to keep the pupa alive, hoping to photograph it in several stages of development. That didn't work out; it seems to have died without changing much. Oh well.
9 Larvae
This specimen is very tentatively placed in Rhyacophila vocala, but see the caveats given by Dave Ruiter in its identification: "There are two species (hyalinata and vocala) currently within the group and this looks closest to R. vocala. It is likely, however, there are several undescribed species in the group and this is one of those."
Dave Ruiter identified this specimen as part of the Rhyacophila betteni group, but with over 20 species it's difficult to narrow down beyond that.
This specimens shows that the name "green rockworm" doesn't quite fit all Rhyacophila larvae, even though it does fit the majority. This is actually the first of their larvae that I've found in a different color. I'm not sure if it's because of the species or because this is a young one, but I have found equally small green larvae, so I'm guessing it's the species.
This is the first Rhyacophila larva I've seen with this striking black banded appearance. I caught several larvae of this species in a fast riffle in a mid-sized trout stream.
I collected this larva and several like it from the same stream and on the same day as this pupa. I suspect they're the same species.
Start a Discussion of Rhyacophilidae
References
- LaFontaine, Gary. 1981. Caddisflies. The Lyons Press.
- Swisher, Doug and Carl Richards. 2000. Selective Trout. The Lyons Press.
Caddisfly Family Rhyacophilidae (Green Sedges)
Taxonomy
Genus in Rhyacophilidae: Himalopsyche, Rhyacophila
