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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This one seems to tentatively key to Holocentropus, although I can't make out the anal spines in Couplet 7 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae nor the dark bands in Couplet 4 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae, making me wonder if I went wrong somewhere in keying it out. I don't see where that could have happened, though. It might also be that it's a very immature larva and doesn't possess all the identifying characteristics in the key yet. If Holocentropus is correct, then Holocentropus flavus and Holocentropus interruptus are the two likely possibilities based on range, but I was not able to find a description of their larvae.
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Taxon on Jun 26, 2006June 26th, 2006, 10:22 am EDT
Jason-
Wow, believe these are the first photos I've seen of winged Baetisca. They certainly have a stout abdomen, don't they. Guess that shouldn't be a particular surprise given the shape of the nymphs, but must admit it startled me.
Wow, believe these are the first photos I've seen of winged Baetisca. They certainly have a stout abdomen, don't they. Guess that shouldn't be a particular surprise given the shape of the nymphs, but must admit it startled me.
Troutnut on Jun 26, 2006June 26th, 2006, 4:51 pm EDT
I was surprised, too, when I first collected one. I almost instantly knew it had to be Baetisca, but it was still very neat to see. Interestingly, the males are quite a bit less robust -- about half-way between the female Baetiscas and the typical sulphur spinners.
The pretty wing patterns of the duns aren't carried over into the spinners, which have unmarked hyaline wings. Since the spinners are the stage to imitate, people should take note of this difference.
Another interesting thing about Baetiscas is that the males, at least in the spinner stage, aren't as stout as the females. They're still more robust than other mayflies, but it takes a close look to notice the difference.
The pretty wing patterns of the duns aren't carried over into the spinners, which have unmarked hyaline wings. Since the spinners are the stage to imitate, people should take note of this difference.
Another interesting thing about Baetiscas is that the males, at least in the spinner stage, aren't as stout as the females. They're still more robust than other mayflies, but it takes a close look to notice the difference.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
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