Lateral view of a Female Hexagenia limbata (Ephemeridae) (Hex) Mayfly Dun from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Hex Mayflies
Hexagenia limbata

The famous nocturnal Hex hatch of the Midwest (and a few other lucky locations) stirs to the surface mythically large brown trout that only touch streamers for the rest of the year.

Two major forks of this grayling stream come together in this pretty pool.

From the Chena River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Ventral view of a Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

With a bit of help from the microscope, this specimen keys clearly and unsurprisingly to Hydropsyche.

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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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Thinking this is distinctus, but not sure

DayTripper

Northern MI

Posts: 70

DayTripper on Jul 2, 2009July 2nd, 2009, 1:13 am EDT

Found this female dun on the East Branch of the Delaware the first weekend in June. It was ~30mm long. I'm pretty sure it's a female distinctus dun, but was hoping someone could confirm. Thanks.

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on Jul 2, 2009July 2nd, 2009, 4:41 am EDT

Alex,

This is Ephemera varia. A 30mm size estimate is well above what is typical for either E. varia or A. distinctus, though the size range for varia is underestimated in books like Hatches and Mayflies. They give 13-16mm as the range for both species, but the varia females that I've collected from the Yellow Breeches run between 17-20mm.

DayTripper

Northern MI

Posts: 70

DayTripper on Jul 2, 2009July 2nd, 2009, 5:12 am EDT

Thanks Gonzo, I really appreciate it. I knew it had to be one of the two (distinctus or varia), but as you mentioned, the large size didn't fit what my reference books had listed. I know looking at coloration is a no-no when identifying bugs, but the coloration seemed more of a match to the distinctus color plate in Hatches, so I ran with it. Thanks, again.