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 dun emerged from a mature nymph on my desk. Unfortunately its wings didn't perfectly dry out.
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Insect Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, and Wasps)
See Formicidae for details about the most important trout stream terrestrials in this order.
Specimens of the Insect Order Hymenoptera
1 Male Adult
2 Female Adults
This specimen began with wings, but they were lost during handling. The reddish abdomen was semi-translucent and almost seemed to glow in the sunlight, and big brown trout were going crazy for them.
6 Adults
This seems to be what a lot of anglers call a "Cinnamon Ant," caught floating down the Henry's Fork.
I collected this flying ant from the surface of a popular Catskill trout stream, where its species prompted steady rising from selective trout for several late-morning hours. It was mixed with smaller ants of a different color, and I photographed one of them too.
This tiny size 24 flying ant was mixed with a larger variety (see this specimen) falling on the surface of a Catskill river. The trout seemed to respond well to ants of both sizes.
These are very large carpenter and a common terrestrial insect along mountain trout streams
6 Streamside Pictures of Hymenoptera Insects:
An ant struggles to escape the surface of a Catskill stream. The black dot on the right is the ant's shadow on a rock on the bottom. I can see how this would appeal to a trout. Even I kind of want to eat the thing.
In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ant).
Given their home on a mossy stump in the stream bed, these light orange ants probably end up in the stream from time to time.
In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ant).
This winged ant was on a mossy rock in the middle of a small stream.
In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ant).
Flying ants were falling very thick on the water during a beautiful Montana evening in August. They were collected in great numbers in this eddy, which made it difficult to entice a trout with a fly amidst all the naturals, but a few nice browns were fooled.
In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ant).
Start a Discussion of Hymenoptera
Insect Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, and Wasps)
Taxonomy
Family in Hymenoptera: Anthophila, Formicidae
10 families (Braconidae, Diapriidae, Eucoilidae, Eulophidae, Ichneumonidae, Mymaridae, Pompilidae, Pteromalidae, Scelionidae, and Trichogrammatidae) aren't included.