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.
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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.
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A friend brought me this stonefly to photograph. He found it floating on the surface of a trout stream with its wings in a crippled position.
Litobrancha on Oct 20, 2006October 20th, 2006, 5:16 pm EDT
jason are those mites on the back at about the first or second abdominal segment? bright red little boogers.
at a glance looks like isoperla female. kinda hard to tell with the crippled wings.
at a glance looks like isoperla female. kinda hard to tell with the crippled wings.
Troutnut on Oct 20, 2006October 20th, 2006, 6:20 pm EDT
I think it's just a discoloration -- maybe an injury? Maybe a smudge of something. I don't remember very well but I don't think it's a mite or group of mites.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
GONZO on Oct 21, 2006October 21st, 2006, 1:24 pm EDT
I've looked at this specimen several times and have wondered about that red spot as well. I do think that the wide, light stripe on the pronotum (with light borders) and the lack of gill remnants makes placing it in Isoperla a pretty safe bet.
Hey, Jason--do female insects find you unusually attractive, or do you just enjoy making things more challenging?!! :)
Hey, Jason--do female insects find you unusually attractive, or do you just enjoy making things more challenging?!! :)
Troutnut on Oct 21, 2006October 21st, 2006, 2:25 pm EDT
do female insects find you unusually attractive, or do you just enjoy making things more challenging?!! :)
I catch a lot of my insects during their egg-laying flights. For some reason, the males just don't do quite as much of that!
It's really frustrating sometimes. It's not just in the insects I collect or photograph; often I can't find a single male aquatic insect anywhere, even though I'm constantly attempting to collect, photograph, and preserve them in alcohol.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
GONZO on Oct 21, 2006October 21st, 2006, 7:54 pm EDT
OK, out of extreme courtesy and utmost respect for our gracious host, I will refrain from saying ANYTHING about the last half of that last sentence. I hope everyone else will show the same restraint! :)
Taxon on Oct 21, 2006October 21st, 2006, 8:24 pm EDT
But Gonzo, aren't you who directed attention to it?
GONZO on Oct 22, 2006October 22nd, 2006, 6:51 am EDT
Roger-
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Since I had inadvertently provided the set-up (honest, I'm not that clever), I felt compelled to head things off before they got ugly (uglier?). My humblest apologies to Jason and especially to his lovely girlfriend Lena! And just to make sure that all my bases are covered, let me add a famous line from Seinfeld--"Not that there's anything wrong with that!"
Despite Jason's observation that males do not do much egg-laying, I think I just did! :)
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Since I had inadvertently provided the set-up (honest, I'm not that clever), I felt compelled to head things off before they got ugly (uglier?). My humblest apologies to Jason and especially to his lovely girlfriend Lena! And just to make sure that all my bases are covered, let me add a famous line from Seinfeld--"Not that there's anything wrong with that!"
Despite Jason's observation that males do not do much egg-laying, I think I just did! :)
Troutnut on Oct 22, 2006October 22nd, 2006, 7:33 am EDT
Fixed! :-P
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Taxon on Oct 22, 2006October 22nd, 2006, 12:07 pm EDT
Gonzo-
Sorry, but I couldn't resist giving you a gentle nudge in response to the (obviously good-spirited) humor you directed at Jason.
Sorry, but I couldn't resist giving you a gentle nudge in response to the (obviously good-spirited) humor you directed at Jason.
GONZO on Oct 22, 2006October 22nd, 2006, 2:08 pm EDT
Not a problem, Roger. I'll be fine as soon as I get my prescription for Xanax filled! :{ ...zzz... :)
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