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.
Option 1 | Option 2 |
---|---|
Abdomen with ventrolateral rows of branched gills | Abdomen without branched gills |
Prominent tuft of long setae at base of anal proleg | No prominent tuft of setae at the base of the anal proleg |
Larvae construct fixed retreats of detritus and rock fragments rather than portable cases (sf 19.34, 19.35) | Larvae construct various fixed retreats or portable cases |
Very widespread and abundant trout stream caddisfly family, with a variety of sizes, very often exceeding 5 mm in body length | The only widespread family beyond this couplet is typically less than 5 mm long |
Remaining families: Ecnomidae and Hydroptilidae | |
5 Example Specimens | 1 Example Specimen |
Hydropsychidae | Go to Couplet 4 |