View Full Version : Bug of the week!
Better late than never. Name that bug. Be at one with the bug. Feel your inner bug.
jdubya
02-14-2004, 04:06 PM
Better late than never. Name that bug. Be at one with the bug. Feel your inner bug.
Well how about Ephemerella infrequens???
Well how about Ephemerella infrequens???
That's my guess also, PMD.
Seems to me that infrequens and inermis are more slender. I'm going to guess flavilinea or glacialis, grandis or doddsi?
Did I get it right yet?
Seems to me that infrequens and inermis are more slender. I'm going to guess flavilinea or glacialis, grandis or doddsi?
Did I get it right yet?
Good point. But, it's probably from the Provo.
So, think, "stunted".
Jason
02-19-2004, 10:09 PM
No one guessed correctly; well RAW kind of did.
It's an Ephemerella doddsi - Western Green Drake It hatches in June and July. What gives it away is the sucker-like membrane on the underside of its abdomen that holds it firmly to flat rocks in fast water. I don't think the adult is as robust as the grandis and the coloring might be a little darker as well. In some situations, this specie will begin to unfold its wings during the underwater emergence. A classic wet fly style pattern with mallard wing quills tied laying back about 40% the length of the hook shank would be a good imitation; just underneath the surface. Someone needs to find a pic of the adult.
Jason has it right... (at least I believe so) That's why I included a photo of the underside. This came from a small stream around SLC, which makes it a little bit cooler!
Should the genus be Drunella and not Ephemerella?
Jason
02-19-2004, 10:51 PM
Should the genus be Drunella and not Ephemerella?
Ephemerella is the family, and yes, Drunella is the Genus. But who cares really? It's just a bunch of latin BS anyway. :-)
Order----------Family--------Genus---Specie
Ephemeroptera Ephemerellinae Drunella doddsi
Jason B
02-19-2004, 10:51 PM
Check any rock at the base of Briadal Vail Falls and you will find tons of them. Coloring can change but i have found some of my best samples from there. Drake but i am not sure which one, as i have seen several different kinds that look like that.,
Are you sure its not a clinger-type, like a yellow quill something or other?
Jason
02-19-2004, 11:17 PM
Are you sure its not a clinger-type, like a yellow quill something or other?
Nope, Yellow Quill nymphs only have two tails which rules the above photo out.
Lonnie
02-19-2004, 11:28 PM
Cary/Jason,
Heptageniidae mayflies or clingers (as I'm sure you know) can have 2 or three caudal filaments (tails). The main distinguishing characteristic is the presence of two distinctly separated wing pads on the thorax on the Heptageniidae. See the photo below for comparison....
But, when I initially looked at the thumbnails, my first thought Eporus sp. too...
http://members.aol.com/Charvetsc2/hepta.jpg
Lonnie
Jason
02-19-2004, 11:35 PM
To the best of my knowledge, this is a Yellow Quill of the genus; eporus. SImilar to the Quill Gordon.
http://www.utahonthefly.com/entomology/bugs/yellowquill.jpg
Lonnie, is that photo you posted a Pale Evening Dun nymph; heptagenia?
Lonnie
02-19-2004, 11:44 PM
Pretty sure your right, but I don't have my bug books here. If I rememeber the genus eporus is distinguished by only two tails. There is a third reduced caudal filiment, but you have to look under a scope to see it. You can see the two distinct wing pads on both photos. You mentioned the "suction disk" on the original bug, I think several species of Heptageniidae have this too, but I'll have to do a google search to confirm my failing memory...
Here you go (from http://www.nps.gov/sitk/Natural%20Resources/Stream%20Ecology/Invertebrates/Insect_list.htm )....
Heptageniidae (Epeorus (3), Cinygmula, Rhithrogena, Cinygma): Generally scraper-grazers (diatoms) or collector-gatherers (detritus, diatoms). Gills of Epeorus longimanus, E. grandis, and Rhithrogena futilis modified to form a sucker-like structure to hold on to rocks in fast current. A third Epeorus is present (probably E. deceptivus) where the first set of gills are extended under the abdomen but do not meet to form a sucker-like structure. Cinygma lyriforme lives on wood substrate usually in quieter water. Possible species of Cinygmula include C. par and C. subaequalis.
Lonnie
Jason
02-19-2004, 11:55 PM
Yah, the Rithrogenas have a little bit of suction cup on the abdomen kind of like the doddsi. Ah, I think we beat this one to death. Gotta love the bugs. What I like most about stuff like this is figuring out what bugs match each 'fly fishing' bug name. ie. Green Drake, Yellow Quill, March Brown, Pale Evening Dun, Blue Winged Olive, etc.
... and a size 16 parahcute adams will imitate them all....
Lonnie
02-20-2004, 12:02 AM
Ah, I think we beat this one to death. Gotta love the bugs.
It's also why I don't like taking a bug past genus unless I can see it under a scope....
Lonnie
jdubya
02-20-2004, 12:47 AM
Ya know, I kinda thought it was a drake, but it seemed too small so I had to punt to something more diminutive. it's hard to measure size without something else in the field to compare. am I coming up with any useful excuses for confusing a drake with a much smaller PMD????
It is only latin BS, but the differences between genus are very significant. There is quite a differnce between Baetis, Ephemerella, and Drunella. Yes, it is a recent taxonomic change, but correct nonetheless. It would be like going back and re-grouping rainbows(formerly Salmo gardneri) and browns(Salmo trutta) together again.
Eporus sp. is usually found in warmer waters. Mike notes in one of the earlier posts " from a small stream around SLC, which makes it a little bit cooler" does this refer to the water the bug was collected in or someones guess?
Nice work on the bug of the week.
vBulletin® v3.7.0, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.