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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.
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Mayfly Genus Paraleptophlebia (Blue Quills)
This page only contains pictures of specimens.To read about Paraleptophlebia, visit Page 1.
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Specimens of the Mayfly Genus Paraleptophlebia
2 Male Duns
You wonder sometimes how certain insects get their common names. This one is called the 'mahogany dun' for some unknown reason.
5 Female Duns
I hadn't seen an intact adult mayfly to catch all day, when suddenly I saw this Paraleptophlebia dun flying six inches in front of my face and nabbed it with my hand without even thinking. It has some sort of bright debris on it that probably comes from placing it in a transport container that hadn't been cleaned recently enough.
I really hoped to catch some good blue quill specimens on this trip, but they are very fragile mayflies and this one was in the best condition of the few that I caught after I drove them home to my camera. It may not be pretty, but you get an idea of the size/shape/color anyway.
Size: 9mm. These photos really highlight the brown pigmentation of the wing venation, but in the hand the wings look to be a uniform smokey gray. - Entoman
4 Male Spinners
For a species not yet reported in my state, I've been surprised to find these in two different locations lately. I was tempted to think they're the more common Paraleptophlebia debilis, but the characteristic big dorsal bump on the claspers just isn't present.
This specimen (and a few others I collected but didn't photograph) appear to represent the first finding of Paraleptophlebia sculleni outside the Oregon Cascades, although it is not a monumental leap from there to the Washington Cascades. The key characteristics are fairly clear.
Near P. memorialis.
5 Female Spinners
This female is probably P. heteronea or P. memorialis since these are the two species collected during the last two weeks. It is interesting that the females are this very dark brown color while the males are lighter in color.
This female exhibits the dark chocolate color so common in this genus.
5 Nymphs
This species is interesting because it is common in lakes as well as streams. It is one of the last species of the year to emerge in western Montana. Adults have been collected as late as October 15 weather permitting.
1 Streamside Picture of Paraleptophlebia Mayflies:
I found this little Paraleptophlebia dun along a Catskill stream, but not enough of her brethren were emerging to get the early-season trout to rise.
In this picture: Mayfly Genus Paraleptophlebia (Blue Quills and Mahogany Duns).
Discussions of Paraleptophlebia
Western Paraleptophlebia
17 replies
Posted by Entoman on Feb 4, 2012
Last reply on Feb 7, 2012 by Entoman
Paul wrote in another topic:
I largely agree, though they seem to be more tolerant of current than most genera of leptophlebiids. I have sampled them from riffles. In my experience (with an admitted western bias), they are far more important in the Fall. If an angler is lucky enough to be in place (and aware of them) when they are schooled up in preparation for hatching, some memorable nymphing can take place! :)
P. adoptiva is an eastern species. By far the most important species in the West is P. debilis, though they can be found mixed with others, particularly the unusual tusk bearing species bicornuta and in some locales packii. Anglers that occasionally come across these tuskers often confuse them with the immature burrowing ephemerids they resemble. Many anglers use their standard nymphs and do just fine with them. The PT is a popular pattern. Sometimes, a nymph that more accurately suggests their silhouette is the ticket. Because of their build and very obvious gills, they look more like a small long-tailed burrower than they do the typical baetid or ephemerellid, and it is good for the angler to keep this in mind.
Most duns and spinners are typically a rich brown, hence the name "Mahogany Dun." They can run the gamut from gray to almost black though, depending on the location. The slender bodies and coloration of the duns lead to them often being mistaken for baetids, but the oval vertically held hind wings and three tails make them easy to distinguish from that family. Check out this link to the hatch page for a look at the natural dun.
http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/752/Mayfly-Paraleptophlebia-debilis-Mahogany-Dun
Below are a couple of patterns I find very useful when this critter is about.
Mahogany Dun Nymph #16
Mahogany Paradun #16
Yes, the Paraleps can come about the same time as the tricaudatus, but don't start as early I think. And I think they were a mid-morning deal where tricaudatus has more of an afternoon peak. (Here in the rockies we're not supoosed to don't have the early P adoptiva, although last spring I found a single youngish nymph that my key would only take it to adoptiva -by gills if I remember right. Wish I'd pickled it and had it properly ID'd.
Anyway, back east I found the Paraleps emerged from slower currents and siltier substrates -often along stream edges. Whereas tricaudatus spilled out of the riffles. They could mix of course in certain places, but one could find one predominant if you wanted to (and I did bc I wanted to know each better), by focusing on key habitat.
Fly patterns could be identical really, although I had my own, esp for the nymphs. In fact, I'm still using some P adoptiva mimic parachutes (more a dun gray) during Baetis activity.
I largely agree, though they seem to be more tolerant of current than most genera of leptophlebiids. I have sampled them from riffles. In my experience (with an admitted western bias), they are far more important in the Fall. If an angler is lucky enough to be in place (and aware of them) when they are schooled up in preparation for hatching, some memorable nymphing can take place! :)
P. adoptiva is an eastern species. By far the most important species in the West is P. debilis, though they can be found mixed with others, particularly the unusual tusk bearing species bicornuta and in some locales packii. Anglers that occasionally come across these tuskers often confuse them with the immature burrowing ephemerids they resemble. Many anglers use their standard nymphs and do just fine with them. The PT is a popular pattern. Sometimes, a nymph that more accurately suggests their silhouette is the ticket. Because of their build and very obvious gills, they look more like a small long-tailed burrower than they do the typical baetid or ephemerellid, and it is good for the angler to keep this in mind.
Most duns and spinners are typically a rich brown, hence the name "Mahogany Dun." They can run the gamut from gray to almost black though, depending on the location. The slender bodies and coloration of the duns lead to them often being mistaken for baetids, but the oval vertically held hind wings and three tails make them easy to distinguish from that family. Check out this link to the hatch page for a look at the natural dun.
http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/752/Mayfly-Paraleptophlebia-debilis-Mahogany-Dun
Below are a couple of patterns I find very useful when this critter is about.
Mahogany Dun Nymph #16
Mahogany Paradun #16
Paralep Hatching Behavior
9 replies
Posted by Shawnny3 on Apr 6, 2009
Last reply on Apr 29, 2009 by Taxon
I can't remember where I read or heard these things (might have been on this site), but I want to make sure my vague recollections are not totally false. When Paraleptophlebia are mating, do they make exaggerated dives in clouds above the stream? If so, do they often end up in the water at these times or do they fall as spinners much later? Finally, when they emerge, do they do so at the stream bottom and then swim to the surface as duns?
Thanks for any help,
Shawn
Thanks for any help,
Shawn
Start a Discussion of Paraleptophlebia
References
- Arbona, Fred Jr. 1989. Mayflies, the Angler, and the Trout. Nick Lyons Books.
- Caucci, Al and Nastasi, Bob. 2004. Hatches II. The Lyons Press.
- Fauceglia, Ted. 2005. Mayflies . Stackpole 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.
- Swisher, Doug and Carl Richards. 2000. Selective Trout. The Lyons Press.
Mayfly Genus Paraleptophlebia (Blue Quills)
Taxonomy
Species in Paraleptophlebia
Paraleptophlebia associata
0
0
Paraleptophlebia bicornutaMahogany Duns
5
8
Paraleptophlebia brunneipennis
0
0
Paraleptophlebia californica
0
0
Paraleptophlebia clara
0
0
Paraleptophlebia debilisMahogany Duns
1
3
Paraleptophlebia falcula
0
0
Paraleptophlebia georgiana
0
0
Paraleptophlebia gregalisBlue Quills
0
0
Paraleptophlebia guttataBlue Quills
0
0
Paraleptophlebia helenaMahogany Duns
0
0
Paraleptophlebia moerens
0
0
Paraleptophlebia ontario
0
0
Paraleptophlebia packiiMahogany Duns
0
0
Paraleptophlebia praepeditaMahogany Duns
0
0
Paraleptophlebia rufivenosa
0
0
Paraleptophlebia sculleni
2
23
Paraleptophlebia strigulaBlue Quills
0
0
Paraleptophlebia vaciva
0
0
Paraleptophlebia volitans
0
0
Paraleptophlebia zayante
0
0
Species in Paraleptophlebia: Paraleptophlebia associata, Paraleptophlebia bicornuta, Paraleptophlebia brunneipennis, Paraleptophlebia californica, Paraleptophlebia clara, Paraleptophlebia debilis, Paraleptophlebia falcula, Paraleptophlebia georgiana, Paraleptophlebia gregalis, Paraleptophlebia guttata, Paraleptophlebia helena, Paraleptophlebia moerens, Paraleptophlebia ontario, Paraleptophlebia packii, Paraleptophlebia praepedita, Paraleptophlebia rufivenosa, Paraleptophlebia sculleni, Paraleptophlebia strigula, Paraleptophlebia vaciva, Paraleptophlebia volitans, Paraleptophlebia zayante
11 species (Paraleptophlebia altana, Paraleptophlebia aquilina, Paraleptophlebia cachea, Paraleptophlebia calcarica, Paraleptophlebia jeanae, Paraleptophlebia jenseni, Paraleptophlebia kirchneri, Paraleptophlebia placeri, Paraleptophlebia quisquilia, Paraleptophlebia sticta, and Paraleptophlebia traverae) aren't included.