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.

Here Oksrukuyik Creek flows away from the Dalton Highway toward the pipeline. It eventually grows into one of the major rivers of the North Slope, and the main drainage to the west of the Sag, but where it crosses the road it's just a small grayling stream.

From Oksrukuyik Creek in Alaska

Stream photos

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Grammotaulius betteni (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva Grammotaulius betteni (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Grammotaulius betteni (Limnephilidae) (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

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.

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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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New Mexico ???

Hankaye
Arrey, N.M.

Posts: 1

Hankaye on Apr 18, 2013April 18th, 2013, 8:09 am EDT

Howdy All;
ion of
Still sorta new to fly fishin' and would like to know if their is
any kind of website for the bugs in New Mexico?
I've seen site for the Gunnison River in Colorado, and there is Westfly whichcovers the Northwest States.
Was courious if anyone could point me in the direction of a decient site
to help me identify some bugs that will help me catch some trouts.
Thanks for your consideration.

hank

Striving for a less complicated life since 1949 ...

Taxon

Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311

Taxon on Apr 18, 2013April 18th, 2013, 1:06 pm EDT

Hi Hank,

Listing the "bugs of New Mexico" would be a rather daunting task. So, how about if I simply start by listing the New Mexico mayfly genera (including common names) which are likely to be of some interest to a fly fisher:

Family - Genus - Common Name
Ameletidae - Ameletus - Brown Dun
Baetidae - Acentrella - Bluewinged Olive
Baetidae - Baetis - Bluewinged Olive
Baetidae - Baetodes - Bluewinged Olive
Baetidae - Callibaetis - Speckle-wing
Baetidae - Camelobaetidius - Bluewinged Olive
Baetidae - Centroptilum - Bluewinged Olive
Baetidae - Cloeodes - Bluewinged Olive
Baetidae - Fallceon - Bluewinged Olive
Baetidae - Labiobaetis - Bluewinged Olive
Caenidae - Caenis - Bluewinged Olive
Ephemerellidae - Attenella - Small Buuewinged Olive
Ephemerellidae - Drunella - Slatewinged Olive/Western Green Drake
Ephemerellidae - Ephemerella - Pale Morning Dun
Ephemerellidae - Serratella - Small Western Dark Hendrickson
Ephemerellidae - Timpanoga - Great Bluewinged Red Quill
Ephemeridae - Ephemera - Brown Drake
Ephemeridae - Hexagenia - Big Yellow May
Heptageniidae - Cinygmula - Dark Red Quill
Heptageniidae - Epeorus - Pink Lady/Slate Brown Dun
Heptageniidae - Heptagenia - Pale Evening Dun
Heptageniidae - Leucrocuta - Pale Evening Dun
Heptageniidae - Rhithrogena - Western March Brown
Isonychiidae - Isonychia - Great Western Leadwing
Leptohyphidae - Tricoryhyphes - Trico
Leptophlebiidae - Leptophlebia - Western Black Quill
Leptophlebiidae - Paraleptophlebia - Mahogany Dun
Siphlonuridae - Siphlonurus - Grey Drake

Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com

Sayfu
Posts: 560

Sayfu on Apr 19, 2013April 19th, 2013, 6:37 am EDT

What is far easier, and more practical is to list the river, or stillwater you plan to fish. Every area/state is going to have a huge disparity in the type of water you will fish, or the river you will fish...spring creek vs. freestone river, high Mt small stream vs. lower elevation big river.