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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Snowsquatch has attached these 3 pictures to aid in identification. The message is below.
Snowsquatch on Aug 30, 2012August 30th, 2012, 8:25 pm EDT
I found this in the house last night could I have some help to identify it
"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves"
Taxon on Aug 31, 2012August 31st, 2012, 12:51 am EDT
Hi Showsquatch-
Sure, it's called a crane fly, probably of True Fly family Tipulidae. Some are aquatic, but the majority are terrestrial. It may well have come from the soil beneath your lawn, where they live as larvae feeding on grass roots, turning your grass brown in spots before pupating, and then emerging in as adults in their winged form.
Sure, it's called a crane fly, probably of True Fly family Tipulidae. Some are aquatic, but the majority are terrestrial. It may well have come from the soil beneath your lawn, where they live as larvae feeding on grass roots, turning your grass brown in spots before pupating, and then emerging in as adults in their winged form.
Sayfu
Posts: 560
Posts: 560
Sayfu on Aug 31, 2012August 31st, 2012, 6:10 am EDT
And aquatic, or terrestrial I do believe all crawl out and pupate in the soil. Never have I caught a fish on a crane fly adult imitation...unless maybe my inability to size my hackle properly was taken for an adult, and my drag free drift skittered a bit. :)
GONZO on Aug 31, 2012August 31st, 2012, 7:23 am EDT
Snowsquatch, your crane fly appears to be Pedicia albivitta, also known as the Giant Eastern Crane Fly. As far as I know, the larvae of this species are aquatic (photos of larva identified as this species here: http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/442), and it usually has two adult flight periods, one in the spring and another in the late summer/fall.
Snowsquatch on Sep 3, 2012September 3rd, 2012, 12:47 pm EDT
Thanks all for your help,
I was thinking it was a crane fly but the usual variety I find are much smaller, Now to come up with a new pattern to tie?
I was thinking it was a crane fly but the usual variety I find are much smaller, Now to come up with a new pattern to tie?
"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves"
Entoman on Sep 4, 2012September 4th, 2012, 12:53 pm EDT
Snowsquatch -
Click on the link to check this out. It's a long thread, so scroll down a ways to look at the pattern.
http://www.troutnut.com/topic/1430/Crane-fly-pattern#30182
Click on the link to check this out. It's a long thread, so scroll down a ways to look at the pattern.
http://www.troutnut.com/topic/1430/Crane-fly-pattern#30182
"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
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