Lateral view of a Female Hexagenia limbata (Ephemeridae) (Hex) Mayfly Dun from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

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.

View from atop the permafrost slump

From the Selawik River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Amphizoa Beetle Larva Amphizoa Beetle Larva

Dorsal view of a Amphizoa (Amphizoidae) Beetle Larva from Sears Creek in Washington

This is the first of it's family I've seen, collected from a tiny, fishless stream in the Cascades. The three species of this genus all live in the Northwest and are predators that primarily eat stonefly nymphs Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019).

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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.

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Caddisfly Species Rhyacophila bifila (Green Sedges)

Where & when

Time of year : Early to mid-summer

In 23 records from GBIF, adults of this species have mostly been collected during July (43%), August (22%), June (13%), and September (9%).

In 4 records from GBIF, this species has been collected at elevations of 5420, 6398, 7142, and 7480 ft.

Species Range

source

Map of specific collection sites

Hatching behavior

Time of day : Evening

Trout may feed heavily on the emerging pupae.

Larva & pupa biology

Current speed: Fast

Substrate: Boulders

Start a Discussion of Rhyacophila bifila

References

LaFontaine, Gary. 1981. Caddisflies. The Lyons Press.
Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. 2019. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America (Fifth Edition). Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Swisher, Doug and Carl Richards. 2000. Selective Trout. The Lyons Press.