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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Caddisfly Genus Helicopsyche (Speckled Peters)
See Helicopsyche borealis for details. It is the only important trout stream species in this genus.
Where & when
In 178 records from GBIF, adults of this genus have mostly been collected during June (23%), July (20%), August (15%), May (12%), September (9%), April (8%), and March (7%).
In 103 records from GBIF, this genus has been collected at elevations ranging from 195 to 10194 ft, with an average (median) of 3363 ft.
Genus Range
Specimens of the Caddisfly Genus Helicopsyche
1 Female Adult
This one keys pretty easily to the Helicopsychidae family, of which there is only one genus in North America, and one species reported in this general area.
1 Pupa
I'm calling this one very tentatively Helicopsyche borealis, with some big caveats that I might be wrong.
It seems to key fairly easily to Helicopsychidae, except at the last couplet in Merritt & Cummins (5th ed) it's supposed to have “anal processes short and straight, each with several mesal setae and 2 long apical setae,” whereas this one has VERY short, straight processes with 3 long apical setae and no mesal ones.
Additionally, the only species of Helicopsychidae documented in this region is Helicopsyche borealis, which is supposed to emerge much later in the summer.
It seems to key fairly easily to Helicopsychidae, except at the last couplet in Merritt & Cummins (5th ed) it's supposed to have “anal processes short and straight, each with several mesal setae and 2 long apical setae,” whereas this one has VERY short, straight processes with 3 long apical setae and no mesal ones.
Additionally, the only species of Helicopsychidae documented in this region is Helicopsyche borealis, which is supposed to emerge much later in the summer.
1 Underwater Picture of Helicopsyche Caddisflies:
A variety of cased caddisfly larvae, probably mostly Neophylax, have clustered along the backside of a rock in fast water. There seem to be some Helicopsychidae larvae clustered along the bottom, and a few other taxa are mixed in. It's interesting that several larvae have especially large stones placed over the front openings of their cases, perhaps to block the case off for pupation.
It does seem to be the wrong time of year for Neophylax to be pupating, but that was the ID given for one of these which I collected and photographed up close.
It does seem to be the wrong time of year for Neophylax to be pupating, but that was the ID given for one of these which I collected and photographed up close.
Start a Discussion of Helicopsyche
References
- LaFontaine, Gary. 1981. Caddisflies. The Lyons Press.
Caddisfly Genus Helicopsyche (Speckled Peters)
Taxonomy
Species in Helicopsyche
Helicopsyche borealis
2
20
Species in Helicopsyche: Helicopsyche borealis
8 species (Helicopsyche annulicornis, Helicopsyche arenifera, Helicopsyche limnella, Helicopsyche mexicana, Helicopsyche paralimnella, Helicopsyche piroa, Helicopsyche pupoidea, and Helicopsyche sinuata) aren't included.