Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

Stream photos

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Mayfly Species Drunella walkeri (Large Blue-Winged Olive)

Ernest Schwiebert had this to say about the hatches of this chunky Eastern Drunella (Blue-Winged Olive) species:

An imitation is rarely required, but notes show that when it is needed it is needed badly.

See the Drunella and Drunella cornuta hatch pages for additional information.

Where & when

Conflicting accounts of the emergence dates for this species abound in literature. In Matching the Hatch, Ernest Schwiebert says they emerge in late May and early June. He was probably speaking from his knowledge of Eastern rivers. The Leonards in Mayflies of Michigan Trout Streams give emergence dates of June 26-July 24 for Michigan. This species may vary between East and Midwest like other Drunella species.

Species Range

source

Hatching behavior

Time of day : Morning

Drunella walkeri emerges in the same manner as the rest of the Drunella genus.

Egg-Laying behavior

The spinner falls of this species are probably unimportant.

Nymph biology

The nymphs are at home in fast riffles and slow backwaters alike. They are the closest in appearance to their large Western siblings the Western Green Drakes. Their stout bodies are easily distinguishable from other Eastern members of this genus.

Start a Discussion of Drunella walkeri

References

Arbona, Fred Jr. 1989. Mayflies, the Angler, and the Trout. Nick Lyons Books.
Knopp, Malcolm and Robert Cormier. 1997. Mayflies: An Angler's Study of Trout Water Ephemeroptera . The Lyons Press.
Leonard, Justin W. and Fannie A. Leonard. 1962. Mayflies of Michigan Trout Streams. Cranbrook Institute of Science.
Schwiebert, Ernest G. 1955. Matching the Hatch. MacMillan Publishing Company.