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 is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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MarkP on Aug 25, 2008August 25th, 2008, 4:20 am EDT
Approximately #18
Black body
3 tails with stripes
???
Black body
3 tails with stripes
???
I love fly fishing and fly tying more than a fat kid likes cake...
Troutnut on Aug 25, 2008August 25th, 2008, 5:58 am EDT
Yup, sounds like a mayfly.
(If you want more specifics, we need more details!)
(If you want more specifics, we need more details!)
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Taxon on Aug 25, 2008August 25th, 2008, 8:50 am EDT
Mark-
To expand on Jason's comment:
Was it a nymph or a winged mayfly?
If winged, was it a dun (dull wings) or a spinner (hyaline wings)?
If winged, were the wings plain, or were the marked or mottled?
What was the date of observation?
What was the state or province of observation?
What was the predominant color of the tails?
What was the color of the tail joinings that resulted in your describing them as striped?
Was the middle tail either shorter or longer than the outer tails?
Without a photo, these are the kind of details you would need to provide in order to even get a reasonable guess as to ID.
To expand on Jason's comment:
Was it a nymph or a winged mayfly?
If winged, was it a dun (dull wings) or a spinner (hyaline wings)?
If winged, were the wings plain, or were the marked or mottled?
What was the date of observation?
What was the state or province of observation?
What was the predominant color of the tails?
What was the color of the tail joinings that resulted in your describing them as striped?
Was the middle tail either shorter or longer than the outer tails?
Without a photo, these are the kind of details you would need to provide in order to even get a reasonable guess as to ID.
MarkP on Aug 26, 2008August 26th, 2008, 6:59 am EDT
Sorry guys, I've got to slow down when posting:
Mayfly spinner
Black or very dark brown body/approx. size 18
3 tails - no stripes
Legs have brown banding/stripes.
Small hind wing behind main wing(s).
Location: Western Massachusetts.
A friend of mine saw these bugs but couldn't I.D. them.
Mark
Mayfly spinner
Black or very dark brown body/approx. size 18
3 tails - no stripes
Legs have brown banding/stripes.
Small hind wing behind main wing(s).
Location: Western Massachusetts.
A friend of mine saw these bugs but couldn't I.D. them.
Mark
I love fly fishing and fly tying more than a fat kid likes cake...
Taxon on Aug 26, 2008August 26th, 2008, 8:57 am EDT
Mark-
Assuming it was observed in August, I believe the greatest likelihood would be Attenella attenuata. For a detailed description of this mayfly, you can go to Mayfly Species Detail Query, key attenuata into the Taxon box, and click the Submit Query button.
Assuming it was observed in August, I believe the greatest likelihood would be Attenella attenuata. For a detailed description of this mayfly, you can go to Mayfly Species Detail Query, key attenuata into the Taxon box, and click the Submit Query button.
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