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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.

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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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Freshwater Invertebrate Underwater Pictures, Page 6

Freshwater Invertebrate Underwater Pictures, Page 6

Underwater photos of freshwater invertebrates in their natural habitat.

A small stonefly nymph crawls around some gravel.

From Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
A big crayfish lurks under a log.
A few caddis larvae cling to this partially submerged clump of streamside grass.

From the South Fork of the White River in Wisconsin
Mystery Creek # 90 in Wisconsin
There are several species of caddisfly larvae and Ephemerella nymphs on this rock.
Two Ephemerella mayfly nymphs share a piece of wood with two Taeniopterygidae stonefly nymphs.
A large crayfish lurks under a log which is home to several mayfly nymphs and caddisfly larvae.
Here's the surface of the river viewed from below during a Tricorythodes spinner fall.  Several dead spinners are visible.
The East Branch of Trout Brook in New York
A couple Sulphur (Ephemerella invaria) nymphs cling to a log.
A large Ephemerella subvaria nymphs clings to a log along with a couple smaller mayfly nymphs.
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