Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica
The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.
Featured on the forum
As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and
fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or
support the project for an enhanced experience here.
Sayfu
Posts: 560
Posts: 560
Sayfu on Sep 5, 2011September 5th, 2011, 4:21 pm EDT
Another unusual bug day for me today. When I took my boat out of the river there was a very large black bug with long antennae on the transom of my boat. Called a guy over, and he knew what it was, a certain kind of pine beetle, and I forgot what he said the first name was. He said they can pinch, and draw blood. It was a good two inches long, and before we left to float the river there was a bigger one on its back in the womens room that couldn't turn itself over.
Jmd123 on Sep 6, 2011September 6th, 2011, 12:07 pm EDT
That sounds like a pine sawyer, a beetle in the family Cerambycidae. Did the antennae curl up a bit at their ends? Some of them do have pretty strong mandibles so handle carefully! Some of them can also make noise by scraping their wings, its called stridulation, and they do it when you try to pick them up (happened to me at the U of M Bio Station when I found one sitting on my alarm clock one night).
Jonathon
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Sayfu
Posts: 560
Posts: 560
Sayfu on Sep 6, 2011September 6th, 2011, 1:43 pm EDT
Yes, the antennae did curl up at the end. First one I have ever seen.
Quick Reply
Related Discussions
Topic
Replies
Last Reply
