Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York

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.

Mount Deborah and Hess Mountains. Two of the greatest peaks of the Alaska Range rise behind the braided, glacial Susitna River. These massive mountains are 35 miles north of where I took this picture.

From the Susitna River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Clostoeca disjuncta (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva Clostoeca disjuncta (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva

Lateral view of a Clostoeca disjuncta (Limnephilidae) (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This one was surprisingly straightforward to identify. The lack of a sclerite at the base of the lateral hump narrows the field quite a bit, and the other options followed fairly obvious characteristics to Clostoeca, which only has one species, Clostoeca disjuncta.

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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.

Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

Caddisfly Species Macrostemum zebratum (Zebra Caddisflies)

The "Zebra Caddis" is one of the most well-known caddisfly species, and one of the largest to produce high intensity hatches on our trout streams.

It is also an important species for smallmouth bass. Gary LaFontaine wrote in Caddisflies about encountering Macrostemum zebratum on a large smallmouth river:

I never caught so many smallmouth bass on a fly rod before in my life.

Where & when

Time of year : June through September; peaks before mid-July

Preferred waters: Large rivers

This species is usually found in large, thermally marginal trout streams, or in tailwaters which used to have that character.

In 95 records from GBIF, adults of this species have mostly been collected during June (32%), July (29%), August (25%), and May (8%).

In 13 records from GBIF, this species has been collected at elevations ranging from 92 to 12631 ft, with an average (median) of 512 ft.

Species Range

source

Map of specific collection sites

Discussions of Macrostemum zebratum

Zebra Caddis

1 replies

Posted by Lastchance on Aug 4, 2008

Last reply on Aug 4, 2008 by Taxon

Is there a photo of one? I've never heard of them or perhaps I know them by a different name.

Start a Discussion of Macrostemum zebratum

References

LaFontaine, Gary. 1981. Caddisflies. The Lyons Press.
Swisher, Doug and Carl Richards. 2000. Selective Trout. The Lyons Press.