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.
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This is a striking caddis larva with an interesting color pattern on the head. Here are some characteristics I was able to see under the microscope, but could not easily expose for a picture:
- The prosternal horn is present.
- The mandible is clearly toothed, not formed into a uniform scraper blade.
- The seems to be only 2 major setae on the ventral edge of the hind femur.
- Chloride epithelia seem to be absent from the dorsal side of any abdominal segments.
Based on these characteristics and the ones more easily visible from the pictures, this seems to be Grammotaulius. The key's description of the case is spot-on: "Case cylindrical, made of longitudinally arranged sedge or similar leaves," as is the description of the markings on the head, "Dorsum of head light brownish yellow with numerous discrete, small, dark spots." The spot pattern on the head is a very good match to figure 19.312 of Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019). The species ID is based on Grammotaulius betteni being the only species of this genus known in Washington state.
- The prosternal horn is present.
- The mandible is clearly toothed, not formed into a uniform scraper blade.
- The seems to be only 2 major setae on the ventral edge of the hind femur.
- Chloride epithelia seem to be absent from the dorsal side of any abdominal segments.
Based on these characteristics and the ones more easily visible from the pictures, this seems to be Grammotaulius. The key's description of the case is spot-on: "Case cylindrical, made of longitudinally arranged sedge or similar leaves," as is the description of the markings on the head, "Dorsum of head light brownish yellow with numerous discrete, small, dark spots." The spot pattern on the head is a very good match to figure 19.312 of Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019). The species ID is based on Grammotaulius betteni being the only species of this genus known in Washington state.
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WestCO on Aug 20, 2012August 20th, 2012, 7:45 pm EDT
I've never been so proud of him. We're sitting there Clint Eastwood style and he starts growing and barking. There's nothing going on across the street in the peach orchard, no animals running around, and then I look and he's staring at a small spinner fall that had started by the road. He glared at it for a good 10 minutes without flinching. It appears that he's taken something away from our river trips. My dog is officially a hatch hunter.
...but fishermen I have noticed, they don't care if I'm rich or poor, wearing robes or waders, all they care about is the fish, the river, and the game we play. For fishermen, the only virtues are patience, tolerance, and humility. I like this.
Entoman on Aug 20, 2012August 20th, 2012, 9:08 pm EDT
Now that, in the vernaculer used by youngest son is, "Way cool!" :)
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
PaulRoberts on Aug 20, 2012August 20th, 2012, 9:18 pm EDT
There are pointing Labs, you know. Something to work on :) .
Feathers5
Posts: 287
Posts: 287
Feathers5 on Aug 21, 2012August 21st, 2012, 5:11 am EDT
I have to agree, that is way, way, wat cool.
Bruce
Bruce
WestCO on Aug 21, 2012August 21st, 2012, 4:27 pm EDT
There are pointing Labs, you know. Something to work on :) .
I know! I've been going about this all wrong. He's great in a duck blind but awful in the field. Perhaps identifying hatches is the talent I've been ignoring haha. I was honestly mind blown though. I was waiting for him to bolt into the orchard after a fox and then he just sat there and watched bugs make babies. Pretty cool haha.
...but fishermen I have noticed, they don't care if I'm rich or poor, wearing robes or waders, all they care about is the fish, the river, and the game we play. For fishermen, the only virtues are patience, tolerance, and humility. I like this.
PaulRoberts on Aug 22, 2012August 22nd, 2012, 7:14 am EDT
Sounds like you two are great partners. I miss my Lab.
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