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Lateral view of a Female Hexagenia limbata (Ephemeridae) (Hex) Mayfly Dun from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin
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.

Dorsal view of a Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.
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Dolophilodes (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Pictures

I think this larva best fits Dolophilodes, in which the anterior margin of the frontoclypeus is supposed to be "slightly asymmetrical." I can't confidently make out the asymmetry, but the other genera are supposed to have either greater asymmetry or a symmetrical, but convex, shape, whereas this one is clearly concave.

Based on distribution records, the species should be either aequalis, dorcus, or pallidipes, but I can't find any source to distinguish between them.

Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho
Dorsal view of a Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho
Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho
Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho
Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho
Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho
Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho
Ruler view of a Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho The smallest ruler marks are 1 mm.
Some goo (to use the technical term) leaked out the mouth of this one during preservation in alcohol, making it hard to get a perfectly unobscured view of the head under the microscope.

Dolophilodes (Philopotamidae) (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho

This caddisfly was collected from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho on August 3rd, 2020 and added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on August 19th, 2020.


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Dolophilodes (Medium Evening Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Pictures

Collection details
Location: East Fork Big Lost River, Idaho
Date: August 3rd, 2020
Added to site: August 19th, 2020
Author: Troutnut
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