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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This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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Namfos on Nov 19, 2015November 19th, 2015, 5:19 am EST
I'm a very sporadic visitor to this site, but I often send anglers new to entomology here. And IMO one of the best things here are the photos.
That being said, our club forum here in the DC area had this question posted:
Why don't fish eat water striders?
Secondarily, my experience with water striders on moving water, such as the Potomac, is that if water striders are present, fish will NOT be present. Or is this an old wives tale?
Namfos
That being said, our club forum here in the DC area had this question posted:
Why don't fish eat water striders?
Secondarily, my experience with water striders on moving water, such as the Potomac, is that if water striders are present, fish will NOT be present. Or is this an old wives tale?
Namfos
Millcreek on Nov 19, 2015November 19th, 2015, 5:59 am EST
Namfos,
The reason water striders are not eaten is because of a scent gland on their thorax which evidently gives off a smell which is unappreciated by fish in general.
I've seen trout swimming below water striders. Not too commonly, but it happens.
Mark
The reason water striders are not eaten is because of a scent gland on their thorax which evidently gives off a smell which is unappreciated by fish in general.
I've seen trout swimming below water striders. Not too commonly, but it happens.
Mark
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