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Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

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 Family Caenidae (Angler's Curse)

The tiny mayflies of this family are usually found in warm, slow, marginal trout water, although some trout streams hold good populations too.

The only genus ever known to produce fishable hatches is Caenis. It turns up frequently for anglers who sample nymphs, but it is rarely of any practical importance for fly fishing because its emergence traits and tiny size (even smaller than Tricorythodes) make it relatively unimportant.

Brachycercus is even more focused on warm water than Caenis.

Taxonomic History

Some relatively common trout stream species formerly known in Brachycercus were recently reclassified into Sparbarus and Susperatus.

Where & when

In 327 records from GBIF, adults of this family have mostly been collected during June (30%), May (24%), July (24%), April (10%), and August (9%).

In 153 records from GBIF, this family has been collected at elevations ranging from 26 to 8022 ft, with an average (median) of 2789 ft.

Family Range

Specimens of the Mayfly Family Caenidae

1 Female Dun
1 Female Spinner
9 Nymphs

Discussions of Caenidae


Start a Discussion of Caenidae

References

Mayfly Family Caenidae (Angler's Curse)

Taxonomy
» Family Caenidae (Angler's Curses)
Genus in Caenidae: Brachycercus, Caenis, Sparbarus, Susperatus
3 genera (Amercaenis, Cercobrachys, and Latineosus) aren't included.
Family Range
Common Name
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