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Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York
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.

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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Grannom
Northwest PA

Posts: 87
Grannom on May 6, 2007May 6th, 2007, 9:31 am EDT
I understand that what I am about to say if rather ignorant, but I would like some help as to if this is a possibility or something I am capable of.
What is involved in making an insect aquarium in order to learn more about specific insects, for identification and tying purposes. Im sure there is alot of informationm to give but some basics would be nice.

Mike
"Be calm - you're there..." "...Tell yourself there's no rush, even if there is."

-John Gierach
Konchu
Konchu's profile picture
Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498
Konchu on May 7, 2007May 7th, 2007, 1:48 am EDT
Different insects have different needs. Which creatures did you have in mind? From which habitats?
Grannom
Northwest PA

Posts: 87
Grannom on May 7, 2007May 7th, 2007, 4:20 am EDT
Great Lakes/NW Pa region. I would like to raise caddisflies or mayflies, but anything would be ok if they are too difficult.
"Be calm - you're there..." "...Tell yourself there's no rush, even if there is."

-John Gierach
Konchu
Konchu's profile picture
Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498
Konchu on May 7, 2007May 7th, 2007, 3:08 pm EDT
So you are wanting to raise stream caddis- and mayflies.

Do you have some sort of bubbler to keep the water aerated? This is important, especially for the mayflies.

See this older thread for more info...then we can go from there.

http://www.troutnut.com/topic/625#2862

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