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.
Prior to recent revisions, this genus of elegant little dark mayflies with their small dark bodies, dark slate wings, and paler legs and tails was more important to anglers. What was the East's most significant species is now known as Teloganopsis deficiens (Little Black Quill). The only remaining species reported of value to the eastern angler is Serratella serrata (Little Sooty Olive).
These changes have had an even bigger impact in the West. The significant Summer hatching tibialis has been moved back to its old genus and is again called Ephemerella tibialis (Small Western Dark Hendrickson). The next most prominent species (though of only minor importance) is now called Matriella teresa and is the only recognized species of that genus in North America. The very minor species velmae has also been moved, and is now back in Ephemerella. This leaves only a few western species in this genus, and they are of no reported significance to anglers.
Where & when
In 33 records from GBIF, adults of this genus have mostly been collected during July (39%), June (24%), August (24%), and September (6%).
In 14 records from GBIF, this genus has been collected at elevations ranging from 361 to 6325 ft, with an average (median) of 5000 ft.
In "Splitting Cane", Ed Engle refers to the "elusive flightless Serratella mayfly" - does anyone know if this was a joke, or if there is such a thing? "Mayflies" by Knopp & Cormier certinaly does not mention such a beast.
Jason: I was fishing in Central PA with a buddy on Sunday and we collected 2 different BWO species from the water. A really small one, about 22 to 24, had an olive/gray body. The other, which was about a size 20, had a gray body and thorax and was matched well with natural beaver fur. I don't know the names, of course, but I saw them with my own eyes. We did well fishing an emerger/dun pattern in sizes 20 and 22. We tied some with trailing shucks of amber or dun. We used a light olive thread for the body, sparse gray beaver dubbing for the thorax, and dun snow shoe for the wing.