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 one seems to lead to Couplet 35 of the Key to Genera of Perlodidae Nymphs and the genus Isoperla, but I'm skeptical that's correct based on the general look. I need to get it under the microscope to review several choices in the key, and it'll probably end up a different Perlodidae.
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These stoneflies--abundant during midday--seemed at first to be flying around with plain yellow bodies, but on closer inspection turn out to have striking, fiery red abdomens.
Taxon on Jul 17, 2019July 17th, 2019
Hi Jason-
My guess would be genus Sweltsa, of which I believe there to be ~8 species in MT. It looks pretty similar to a (mostly) dorsal view of Sweltsa townsesi, which is pictured in American Stoneflies: A Photographic Guide to the Plecoptera by Bill B. Stark, et. al. However, I believe that species is only present in the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains of CA and NV.
My guess would be genus Sweltsa, of which I believe there to be ~8 species in MT. It looks pretty similar to a (mostly) dorsal view of Sweltsa townsesi, which is pictured in American Stoneflies: A Photographic Guide to the Plecoptera by Bill B. Stark, et. al. However, I believe that species is only present in the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains of CA and NV.
Troutnut on Jul 17, 2019July 17th, 2019, 8:03 pm EDT
Thanks Roger. I'll put it there for now, along with another specimen of similar but not identical coloration and a few mm greater length.
FYI, today and tomorrow I'm adding quite a few more specimens from this year's Montana trip and would definitely appreciate any ID thoughts if you have time. I'll message Dave about the caddis soon, too.
FYI, today and tomorrow I'm adding quite a few more specimens from this year's Montana trip and would definitely appreciate any ID thoughts if you have time. I'll message Dave about the caddis soon, too.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist