Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York

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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Skwala (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph Skwala (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Skwala (Perlodidae) (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

This Skwala nymph still has a couple months left to go before hatching, but it's still a good representative of its species, which was extremely abundant in my sample for a stonefly of this size. It's obvious why the Yakima is known for its Skwala hatch.

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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.

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Hesperoperla or Calineuria

Male Calineuria californica (Golden Stone) Stonefly Adult

15 Pictures

Lateral view of a Male Calineuria californica (Perlidae) (Golden Stone) Stonefly Adult from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington

A few of these larger stoneflies were fluttering around the South Fork on an evening dominated by much smaller species.

This one has been difficult to identify. I can't spot any of the gill remnants characteristic of Perlidae, but the wing venation seems to point in that direction. I tried keying it out as Perlodidae but arrived at Isoperla, every western species of which has significantly smaller bodies than this one.

Edit: See forum comments for a likely correct identification.

Collected July 19, 2019 from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington

Added by Troutnut on July 22, 2019

Collected July 19, 2019 from the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Washington and added by Troutnut on July 22, 2019

Millcreek
Healdsburg, CA

Posts: 344

Millcreek on Jul 22, 2019July 22nd, 2019, 9:18 am EDT

Hesperoperla or Calineuria. Just a guess. These are similar to ones I've netted in California. The gill remnants don't always show and can be difficult to spot when they do. The size is right and the wing veining as well.

Here's a picture at bugguide of Hesperoperla.

https://bugguide.net/node/view/1257709

I'm leaning more towards Calineuria.
https://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~biodiv/entomology/main/Plecoptera/Perlidae/Calineuria%20californica%20(1dorsal).jpg

And here's a view of Hesperoperla's wings.

https:/bugguide.net/node/view/41324/bgimage

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
-Albert Einstein

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Jul 22, 2019July 22nd, 2019, 11:24 am EDT

Thanks. The color patterns at least looks extremely similar to this Calineuria californica from bugguide.net:

https://bugguide.net/node/view/368894/bgimage

I tried following the key in Merritt & Cummins to get there, but none of the relevant characteristics were very clear unfortunately.

What's the size range for that one? One source said they're the largest western Perlid, and this specimen certainly doesn't fit that bill.

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Millcreek
Healdsburg, CA

Posts: 344

Millcreek on Jul 22, 2019July 22nd, 2019, 12:26 pm EDT

The size range is from 15-25 mm from nose to tip of abdomen (not including the cerci). At least from this area of northern California.

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
-Albert Einstein