Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York

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.

Stream photos

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Perlodidae (Springflies and Yellow Stones) Stonefly Nymph Perlodidae (Springflies and Yellow Stones) Stonefly Nymph

Artistic view of a Perlodidae (Springflies and Yellow Stones) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

This one seems to lead to Couplet 35 of the Key to Genera of Perlodidae Nymphs and the genus Isoperla, but I'm skeptical that's correct based on the general look. I need to get it under the microscope to review several choices in the key, and it'll probably end up a different Perlodidae.

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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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flavistriga broods

This topic is about the Mayfly Species Baetis flavistriga

This is one of the most widespread and abundant Baetis species, and it may produce fishable hatches under a variety of conditions.

This species is known in angling books by several old synonyms, including Baetis quebecensus, Baetis levitans, Baetis cingulatus, and Baetis phoebus, in addition to the correct name.

Example specimens

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Male Baetis flavistriga (BWO) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Male Baetis flavistriga (Baetidae) (BWO) Mayfly Nymph from the Dosewallips River in Washington

This nymph keys to Baetis assuming the villipore is present (hard to see in my photos or scope), and within that genus it tentatively keys to the flavistriga species complex, of which Baetis flavistriga itself is by far the most common in Washington state, so that's the most likely ID.

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Baetis flavistriga (BWO) Mayfly Nymph

Baetis flavistriga (Baetidae) (BWO) Mayfly Nymph from the Kwethluk River in Alaska

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Baetis flavistriga (BWO) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Baetis flavistriga (Baetidae) (BWO) Mayfly Nymph from the East Fork Big Lost River in Idaho

This specimen keys to the Baetis flavistriga complex, which could be either flavistriga or Baetis phoebus.

Konchu

Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498

Konchu on Jan 17, 2009January 17th, 2009, 11:21 pm EST

Anyone have observations that they are willing to share of different flavistriga broods?

Jason says that B. flavistriga is a "combination of widely varying types in different places, it's hard to piece the information together into reliable hatch dates for the different broods in any given location." This is stated very well.

As part of my bug work, I'm trying to tease apart some of these "varying types" to see what, if anything, they might represent. Tapping into the experience base here might help.