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.

Stream photos

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Pycnopsyche guttifera (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Pycnopsyche guttifera (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen appears to be of the same species as this one collected in the same spot two months earlier. The identification of both is tentative. This one suffered some physical damage before being photographed, too, so the colors aren't totally natural. I was mostly photographing it to test out some new camera setting idea, which worked really well for a couple of closeups.

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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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Help With Identification

Redadman has attached this picture to aid in identification. The message is below.

Redadman
NEW YORK

Posts: 2

Redadman on Apr 23, 2020April 23rd, 2020, 10:24 pm EDT

This mayfly was observed in the Croton system yesterday. A size 14 maybe. My best guess is drunella cornuta based on photos from this site, but I'm stumped.

Taxon

Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311

Taxon on Apr 24, 2020April 24th, 2020, 12:28 am EDT

Hi Larry-

Welcome aboard. I believe this female subimago to be of genus Leptophlebia. If you lighten the image, the characteristic abdominal banding becomes more apparent.

Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com

Redadman
NEW YORK

Posts: 2

Redadman on Apr 24, 2020April 24th, 2020, 8:49 am EDT

Thanks for the quick response. Someone else thought it might be a hendrickson. I've fished this stream for years and never seen this exact coloration.

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on May 1, 2020May 1st, 2020, 1:20 pm EDT

A little early for drunella? The legs don't look right for drunella, either, I think. And I think the black quill typically has a very short middle tail. Could it be a hennie? What size was it? Oh and pretty photo, by the way. More to consider https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/35362

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell