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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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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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Adirman
Adirman's profile picture
Monticello, NY

Posts: 479
Adirman on Aug 30, 2010August 30th, 2010, 6:55 am EDT

Hi;

I was wondering if someone could give me some tips/pointers on basic id'ing. for the 1st several yrs I flyfished, I ignored that aspect fo the sport and focused on casting, rigging, knots, etc. Know that i'm more proficient in those other areas, I want to get better at id'ing the bugs! I'm sure i can tell caddis from mayflies and spinnersIin most cases) from duns but its hard for me to sort out the nymphs. Example, yesterday, me and a buddy went fishing and he pointed out to me all the empty Iso shucks from the nymphs emerging. When I looked at them, the color looked right(sorta brownish red?)but honestly, they kinda looked like stoneflies as well. Any easy way to tell the difference?

Thanks,
Adirman
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Aug 30, 2010August 30th, 2010, 8:05 am EDT
Any easy way to tell the difference?


Yes. Stonefly nymphs will typically have two wingcases (one behind the other) and two tails. Isonychia nymphs will appear to have one wingcase (they have a second to house the smaller hindwings, but it is hidden under the first) and three (fringed) tails. Although Isonychia nymphs have rather long antennae for a mayfly, they are not as conspicuous as most stonefly antennae.

As a general guide to some of the easily observable differences, this link to Roger's website should help:
http://www.flyfishingentomology.com/Aquatic%20Insect%20Recognition.htm

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