Header image
Enter a name
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.

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.
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.

Wiflyfisher has attached this picture to aid in identification. The message is below.
Small green-eye mayfly dun.
Wiflyfisher
Wiflyfisher's profile picture
Wisconsin

Posts: 622
Wiflyfisher on Aug 11, 2007August 11th, 2007, 7:25 am EDT
Konchu & Taxon... small, green-eye mayfly dun, 1/4" long body length. What is it?
Konchu
Konchu's profile picture
Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498
Konchu on Aug 11, 2007August 11th, 2007, 8:25 am EDT
Leucrocuta?
Wiflyfisher
Wiflyfisher's profile picture
Wisconsin

Posts: 622
Wiflyfisher on Aug 11, 2007August 11th, 2007, 9:40 am EDT
okay Thank you!

Leucrocuta hebe (Little Yellow Quill). Although it looks darker than the one's Jason has on the web site, but probably from the same trout stream.
Taxon
Taxon's profile picture
Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311
Taxon on Aug 11, 2007August 11th, 2007, 10:49 am EDT
John-

Konchu nailed it, for sure, but I’ll try to contribute something by posting one of Jason’s photos to which you referred, when you mentioned that yours was darker, but probably from the same trout stream.



Wisconsin has two species of Leucrocuta, L. hebe, and L. maculipennis, and based on their respective descriptions, it could be either. Both are referred to in earlier literature by genus name Heptagenia.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Aug 11, 2007August 11th, 2007, 1:43 pm EDT
This is timely, I saw one of these today. It floated down to me, dead?? on a small spring creek.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Konchu
Konchu's profile picture
Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498
Konchu on Aug 12, 2007August 12th, 2007, 4:27 am EDT
The species IDs in this genus are tough now. Some of the names aren't tied down real well to morphotypes. So be careful...

Wiflyfisher, did you save the specimen you photographed?
Wiflyfisher
Wiflyfisher's profile picture
Wisconsin

Posts: 622
Wiflyfisher on Aug 12, 2007August 12th, 2007, 4:30 am EDT
Yes, I saved it but it is all dried up and I don't remember which small sample bug box I put him in. ;)
Wiflyfisher
Wiflyfisher's profile picture
Wisconsin

Posts: 622
Wiflyfisher on Aug 12, 2007August 12th, 2007, 4:33 am EDT
Heptagenia mayflies I have seen over the years on this same river were a more pale yellow. I might have mistaken it for something else now that I see Jason's photos.

Quick Reply

Related Discussions

Topic
Replies
Last Reply
1
Jun 27, 2010
by Oldredbarn
3
Mar 27, 2013
by JOHNW
2
Jun 30, 2011
by JOHNW
13
Mar 8, 2008
by Ducfat
1
Sep 15, 2006
by Troutnut
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy