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.
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This specimen keys to the Epeorus albertae group of species. Of the five species in that group, the two known in Washington state are Epeorus albertae and Epeorus dulciana. Of the two, albertae has been collected in vastly more locations in Washington than dulciana, suggesting it is far more common. On that basis alone I'm tentatively putting this nymph in albertae, with the large caveat that there's no real information to rule out dulciana.
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Caddisfly Family Thremmatidae
This caddisfly family is important in the fall. Neophylax may be important nationwide, but Oligophlebodes is only known to provide fishable action in the West.
Where & when
In 189 records from GBIF, adults of this family have mostly been collected during October (34%), September (23%), August (15%), July (12%), and June (9%).
In 136 records from GBIF, this family has been collected at elevations ranging from 30 to 11191 ft, with an average (median) of 1880 ft.
Family Range
Specimens of the Caddisfly Family Thremmatidae
1 Female Adult
This large caddisfly looks really neat close-up.
3 Larvae
The size of the head compared to the body in this larva is surprising, and I think this means it's a fairly early instar of something which is going to get a lot bigger, but I'm not sure.
See the forum comments for notes on the identification of this specimen.
2 Underwater Pictures of Thremmatidae 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.
A wide variety of caddis larvae and other insects have clustered together on the backside of this rock in fast water.
In this picture: Caddisfly Genus Neophylax (Autumn Mottled Sedge).
Start a Discussion of Thremmatidae
Caddisfly Family Thremmatidae
Taxonomy
Genus in Thremmatidae: Neophylax, Oligophlebodes