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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.

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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FredH
FredH's profile picture
Lake Charles , Louisiana

Posts: 108
FredH on Oct 7, 2011October 7th, 2011, 3:56 am EDT



Here is a few more to show the range of size and shape that can be achieved within the pattern .
Taxon
Taxon's profile picture
Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311
Taxon on Oct 7, 2011October 7th, 2011, 6:43 am EDT
Hi Fred-

That black & white one on the right strongly resembles Rosalia funebris (Banded Alder Borer). That what it is?
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Oct 7, 2011October 7th, 2011, 9:17 am EDT
They ALL look like they are modelled on actual species! Just beautiful, Fred!

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
FredH
FredH's profile picture
Lake Charles , Louisiana

Posts: 108
FredH on Oct 8, 2011October 8th, 2011, 5:23 am EDT
Roger you and Jonathon are both correct . I use Arther V. Evans book "Field Guide to insects and spiders of North America" as a reference guide. It has some nice photos as well as the insects average size and range. I have become some what of a insect junkie . I buy every insect reference book I come across.

Fred
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Oct 8, 2011October 8th, 2011, 6:28 am EDT
I can recognize a green stink bug, a milkweed beetle, a cucumber beetle, and a Colorado potato beetle, at least. We have a tiny green weevil, about a size 18 or 20 in hook, that I have found in the stomachs of trout (back when I used to kill and eat them, at least) in the Maple River in northern Michigan. If I run into them again, I will most definitely have to try your technique! As I said before, I imagine that these beetles of yours just slay those big fat southern panfish. I had a tremendous fondness for redbreast sunnies while I was living in San Marcos, TX - beautiful, stream-dwelling, and surface feeding!

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

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