Artistic view of a Male Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Adult from the Gallatin River in Montana

Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

A trackless paradise two days deep in the Yellowstone backcountry

From Mystery Creek # 218 in Wyoming

Stream photos

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Arctopsyche grandis (Great Gray Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Arctopsyche grandis (Great Gray Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Ventral view of a Arctopsyche grandis (Hydropsychidae) (Great Gray Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

I already had one of these on the site, but these giant Hydropsychidae larvae are just too photogenic to pass up.

7 Recently Added Photos

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.

Rhyacophila betteni group

Rhyacophila (Green Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

7 Pictures

Lateral view of a Rhyacophila (Rhyacophilidae) (Green Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from Mystery Creek #249 in Washington

Dave Ruiter identified this specimen as part of the Rhyacophila betteni group, but with over 20 species it's difficult to narrow down beyond that.

Collected July 24, 2019 from Mystery Creek #249 in Washington

Added by Troutnut on July 26, 2019

Collected July 24, 2019 from Mystery Creek #249 in Washington and added by Troutnut on July 26, 2019

Creno
Grants Pass, OR

Posts: 302

Creno on Aug 8, 2019August 8th, 2019, 4:02 pm EDT

This is one of the Rhyacophila betteni group. The R. betteni group consists of over 20 widespread, western species; common in small to medium, rocky trout streams.

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Aug 10, 2019August 10th, 2019, 5:43 am EDT

Thanks Dave. Would it be worth sending you these last two Rhyacophilas for species IDs, or are the individual species too poorly described to key out?

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Creno
Grants Pass, OR

Posts: 302

Creno on Aug 10, 2019August 10th, 2019, 9:52 am EDT

Jason - I doubt I can place species names on the larvae. We are still working out the details of the adults. If you preserve material in 90%+ ETOH you can submit to the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) for dna analysis which is very useful for future larval associations.