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Artistic view of a Male Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Adult from the Gallatin River in Montana
Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

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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JOHNW has attached this picture to aid in identification. The message is below.
JOHNW
JOHNW's profile picture
Chambersburg, PA

Posts: 452
JOHNW on Jul 14, 2011July 14th, 2011, 2:32 pm EDT
I realize these are not the exact perview of this forum however I couldn,t think of a better place to ask with the assembled knowledge which frequents the site.

I photgraphed this caterpillar in the garden eating my carrots this evening. The wife wants to dispatch of it directly since it is eating the greens of one of the very few carrots which are actually growing. To me it vaugely resemblesa monarch and as such I am hesitant to committ insecticide. Can any of the wise "bug guys" provide an identification?

If more info is needed I'll be more than happy to share it.
"old habits are hard to kill once you have gray in your beard" -Old Red Barn
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 14, 2011July 14th, 2011, 3:51 pm EDT
Hi John,

I believe it is a Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) caterpillar. The caterpillers are sometimes called Carrot Worms (among other things). They feed on a number of cultivated plants in the carrot family.
Adirman
Adirman's profile picture
Monticello, NY

Posts: 479
Adirman on Jul 14, 2011July 14th, 2011, 5:02 pm EDT
Sounds very destructive but is also very pretty; too bad!
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 14, 2011July 14th, 2011, 5:14 pm EDT
Agreed.
JOHNW
JOHNW's profile picture
Chambersburg, PA

Posts: 452
JOHNW on Jul 15, 2011July 15th, 2011, 12:01 pm EDT
Hi John,

I believe it is a Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) caterpillar. The caterpillers are sometimes called Carrot Worms (among other things). They feed on a number of cultivated plants in the carrot family.



Does this mean that my parsnips are in jeopardy?


I don't mind them eating the carrots since of the 300 seeds we planted only 3 came up. Essentially we are writing them off anyway but the parsnips would mean WAR!
"old habits are hard to kill once you have gray in your beard" -Old Red Barn
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Jul 15, 2011July 15th, 2011, 3:10 pm EDT
Go put them on some Queen-Anne's-lace, a.k.a. wild carrot, and they'll be perfectly happy. Same plant family!

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

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