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.
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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.
- 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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Catskilljon on May 22, 2016May 22nd, 2016, 5:25 pm EDT
I was glassing a new section of stream today in the Catskills, in Sullivan County near my place.
I was observing from a rock wall 6 ft above the water. Out of the corner of my eye I saw flying toward me [and the stream] what initially looked like a #2 hook size stone fly, however this bug flew with a real purpose, not clumsily like stone flys do. It flew over the water, then just dropped into it with a splat, hard enough to make me think it got knocked out from the landing. I was glad it hit the water as this usually slows them down enough for me to see it clearly, but it actually went under and started swimming [quite proficiently I may add!] with a hinging motion. It stayed just under the surface and disappeared under one of the boulders I was standing above. It looked brownish/tan.
I wish I got a better look at it, but the whole thing happened in about 5 seconds. In the water and from about 10 ft away it looked more like a click beetle, at least the way it propelled itself subsurface, but this thing was much bigger, I would estimate it to be almost 2 inches long.
Any ideas? Im surry for being so vague but its all I got.
I was observing from a rock wall 6 ft above the water. Out of the corner of my eye I saw flying toward me [and the stream] what initially looked like a #2 hook size stone fly, however this bug flew with a real purpose, not clumsily like stone flys do. It flew over the water, then just dropped into it with a splat, hard enough to make me think it got knocked out from the landing. I was glad it hit the water as this usually slows them down enough for me to see it clearly, but it actually went under and started swimming [quite proficiently I may add!] with a hinging motion. It stayed just under the surface and disappeared under one of the boulders I was standing above. It looked brownish/tan.
I wish I got a better look at it, but the whole thing happened in about 5 seconds. In the water and from about 10 ft away it looked more like a click beetle, at least the way it propelled itself subsurface, but this thing was much bigger, I would estimate it to be almost 2 inches long.
Any ideas? Im surry for being so vague but its all I got.
Taxon on May 22, 2016May 22nd, 2016, 7:58 pm EDT
Hi Catskilljon-
Based on the reported size, my guess would be a Predaceous Diving Beetle, which would max out at about 1.4 inches.
Based on the reported size, my guess would be a Predaceous Diving Beetle, which would max out at about 1.4 inches.
Wiflyfisher on May 24, 2016May 24th, 2016, 9:55 am EDT
CJ, it was probably a micro-drone spying on you but luckily it's battery ran out. :-)
John S.
https://WiFlyFisher.com
https://WiFlyFisher.com
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