Last reply on Dec 21, 2007 by
Creno
I'm not familiar with this species, but I've taken another look through all the photos, and this is the best rationale I can come up with--
Not
Hydropsyche: Wing venation is wrong; spur pattern is wrong; maxillary palp is wrong. But
H. betteni is about the right size and color.
Not Phryganeidae: Size is wrong (common genera,
Phryganea and
Ptilostomis, typically range from 21-25mm); spur pattern is wrong (usually 2,4,4).
Probably Limnephilidae: Shape and venation of front and hind wings
very similar to drawings of
Dicosmoecus wings; maxillary palp matches configuration of Limnephilid females; spur pattern 1,2,4 matches (usually 1,2-3,4); large setal wart on scutellum matches.
Possibly
Limnephilus: Size of specimen (13-14mm) is about average for this genus; overall color and pattern seems compatible with other members of this genus I've seen; the pattern of setae and setal warts appears to exactly match a drawing of
Limnephilus; location and habitat seem reasonable (but with 95 species in the genus, it's hard to rule
anything out on that account).
The other reason for suggesting
Limnephilus is a simple process of elimination. It's probably not
Frenesia or
Psychoglypha, based on season (and color). I know
Pycnopsyche and
Hydatophylax well, and it's not either of them. I'm familiar with
Dicosmoecus, and that's not it.
Onocosmoecus and
Platycentropus are larger; and
Ironoquia is a different shape.
Ecclisomyia,
Oligophlebodes, and
Chyranda all have "Western" in their common name.
I know this leaves out quite a few oddball genera, but I'm sticking with
Limnephilus until Litobrancha picks up this thread and tells me what it really is! :)