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View Full Version : A few bugs on the water today.



The Arborist
04-07-2013, 11:27 PM
I am trying to learn my aquatic insects. I observed these today on a small, fast flowing mountain stream in Southern CA. The only book on entomology I have is Hatch Guide For Western Streams. I believe this is a small brown stonefly.
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Sorry for the bad picture on this one. And, it's a little beat up cuz I had to whack it out of the air with my hat. These weren't very impressive looking like blue winged olives. They just kind of hovered a few feet above head. I don't see anything in my book that looks like this with those crazy eyes and nasty looking anal hooks. Any ideas?
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This next one I didn't see flying. I found it on a rock. It is really small, about 1/2 the size of the monster above. And the picture has a yellow tint because I took it indoors. The 2 tails is throwing me because most of the mayflies in my book have 3.
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I know this next one is a terrestrial, but I've never seen anything like this beetle before. These were SWARMING on a few small trees beside the water. They were absolutely devouring the leaves. They had a nice shiny metallic green body. Unfortunately, it doesn't show up well under my crappy indoor lighting. It is 1/4" in length. I've seen Japanese beetles do this on the east coast, but they were brown.
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Any help is greatly appreciated.

Ed Wahl
04-08-2013, 08:20 AM
I'm far from an expert but I can help with the last one. I'ts an Alder Leaf Beetle. It does most of it's damage while still a pupa(?), a small black maggot looking thing. The trees will recover no worse for the wear. I'm curious about the second pic as I've seen them dancing over streams myself have wondered what they were. Ed

k.hanley
04-08-2013, 10:13 AM
Pic #2 = Cranefly???? Just a guess. Probably waaaaay wrong with this one.

Cheers, Ken

Troutstalker55B
04-08-2013, 11:49 AM
Great observations and pics, bugs are so much fun to check out and understand in regards to our fishing. First pic little brown stone from the Nemouridae family. Second picture I would have to say a Gray Drake spinner, hard to tell though. 3rd picture is a Western March Brown. If those beetles are on the water then they are fair game for the trout. Simple foam beetles are easy to tie, just make sure you have some sight foam in a bright color on top so you can see it.