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.
Featured on the forum
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.
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.
Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and
fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or
support the project for an enhanced experience here.
Wbranch on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 3:44 am EDT
This morning as I was opening the hatch of my wagon I noticed a small, maybe #18 or actually closer to a #20 spinner on the glass. Here is what it looked like:
- Very large and prominent light yellow eyes
- Robust rusty orange thorax
- Rusty dorsal abdomen (body), but very light colored underneath, almost translucent white.
- The wings were clear with black veination near the front edges
- Two long white tails
I can't remember the color of the legs
Anyone know what it is? I live very close to a timy little brook.
- Very large and prominent light yellow eyes
- Robust rusty orange thorax
- Rusty dorsal abdomen (body), but very light colored underneath, almost translucent white.
- The wings were clear with black veination near the front edges
- Two long white tails
I can't remember the color of the legs
Anyone know what it is? I live very close to a timy little brook.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
GONZO on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 4:36 am EDT
Matt, if the black venation was mostly a few dark cross and long veins near the leading edge, it sounds like it may have been a little male spinner of the Heptageniidae--possibly Leucrocuta. The little yellowish duns of this genus are surprisingly common and, in my opinion, important. (Mention of these in fly fishing texts is rather scant and sometimes dismissive. The common name I like for the duns is little yellow quills.)
PS--I just checked and there's a group of 5 pictures of a male spinner ID'd as Leucrocuta at the top of the second page of pix in the Leucrocuta section under Heptageniidae. It should match your little spinner pretty closely.
PS--I just checked and there's a group of 5 pictures of a male spinner ID'd as Leucrocuta at the top of the second page of pix in the Leucrocuta section under Heptageniidae. It should match your little spinner pretty closely.
Martinlf on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 6:15 am EDT
Last year we hypothesized that a fall hatching sulphur on the Little J is probably Leucrocuta Hebe.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
GONZO on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 6:28 am EDT
Louis, that wasn't an hypothesis, that was an out-and-out statement of completely unsubstantiated "fact." (As Konchu points out in another recent thread, if I can't be right, I can at least offer my wrong opinion with conviction!) :)
Martinlf on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 6:59 am EDT
OK, I was just afraid one of the bug guys would ask if we got a good enough look at its private parts to confirm the ID.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
GONZO on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 7:12 am EDT
That was supposed to be your job, Louis. What, did your modesty prevent you from spreading their little tails and taking a peek? :)
Martinlf on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 7:20 am EDT
Actually not; I had just left my portable electron microscope at home that day, forgetting to tuck it into my vest's back pocket. :)
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Wbranch on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 8:46 am EDT
You guys are pretty weird looking at mayfly genitalia.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Wbranch on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 8:55 am EDT
Gonzo,
I looked at the pictures of the spinner and everything looks pretty much the same except my spinner had large yellow eyes not black like the spinner in the pictures.
On another note I go a late start but drove up to the Susky about six miles north of where the Juniata enters the river today. I didn't get there until about 12:30. I tried wading with my flats booties and that was a huge mistake as I was slipping all over. So I went back to the car and put my felts on and no sooner did I get back into the river I saw a huge lighting strike uprive and I hightailed it out of the river.
I left as the rain increased. It poured and poured so hard tha tI had to pull over three times on the way home. When I got just just of Harrisburg on I-83 the road was completely dry. I'm going to check the weather for tomorrow and if it looks good will get an early start hoping to be on the water by 7:00 a.m.
I looked at the pictures of the spinner and everything looks pretty much the same except my spinner had large yellow eyes not black like the spinner in the pictures.
On another note I go a late start but drove up to the Susky about six miles north of where the Juniata enters the river today. I didn't get there until about 12:30. I tried wading with my flats booties and that was a huge mistake as I was slipping all over. So I went back to the car and put my felts on and no sooner did I get back into the river I saw a huge lighting strike uprive and I hightailed it out of the river.
I left as the rain increased. It poured and poured so hard tha tI had to pull over three times on the way home. When I got just just of Harrisburg on I-83 the road was completely dry. I'm going to check the weather for tomorrow and if it looks good will get an early start hoping to be on the water by 7:00 a.m.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
GONZO on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 9:22 am EDT
Hmmm...maybe the pictures are ordered differently on different browsers or something, but the male spinner I wanted you to look at does indeed have big yellow eyes (with maybe a slight greenish tint). Did you check all of the Leucrocuta adults? (This one will stand out for that very reason.)
Bummer about your wasted drive up the Susky! Did you look at the river just below where the Juniata comes in? As I mentioned, wading can be rather nasty, but that's a really good stretch. Best of luck on your next try.
Bummer about your wasted drive up the Susky! Did you look at the river just below where the Juniata comes in? As I mentioned, wading can be rather nasty, but that's a really good stretch. Best of luck on your next try.
GONZO on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 11:19 am EDT
You guys are pretty weird looking at mayfly genitalia.
Matt, just looking isn't that weird. It's when you start getting excited by it that you have to worry! :)
Wbranch on Jul 26, 2007July 26th, 2007, 1:43 pm EDT
Gonzo,
"Did you look at the river just below where the Juniata comes in?" I don't know how to get from 15 to the mouth of the Juniata. There did not appear to be an exit off of 15 when I crossed the bridge over the Juniata. Maybe I'll get up tomorrow morning for a few hours.
"Did you look at the river just below where the Juniata comes in?" I don't know how to get from 15 to the mouth of the Juniata. There did not appear to be an exit off of 15 when I crossed the bridge over the Juniata. Maybe I'll get up tomorrow morning for a few hours.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Quick Reply
Related Discussions
Topic
Replies
Last Reply
6
Nov 12, 2006
by Martinlf
by Martinlf
