TROUT UNLIMITED INDIAN HOLLOW GATHERING 2014 AQUATIC INSECTS COLLECTION EVENT May 17, 2014 Compiled by Mike Cole (
[email protected]) On May 17th, 2014, a workshop was held at the MA/RI TU Council gathering to introduce anglers to the River’s Calendar project. The workshop included streamside collection of adult aquatic insects and sampling of the East Branch Westfield River’s bottom for nymphs and larvae. The following list was assembled from the aquatic insects collected and identified during the event. Observations in bold are those of adult aquatic insects caught either in the air or on stream-side vegetation. Photographs of select aquatic insects are included on the following pages of this document (indicated by an asterisk in table).
List of aquatic insects collected at the River’s Calendar Workshop on May 17th, 2014 Scientific Name Anthopotamus distinctus* Baetisca sp.* Brachycentrus sp.* Cheumatopsyche Cinygmula subaequalis* Drunella cornuta/cornutella* Drunella walkeri Epeorus vitreus* Ephemera varia* Ephemerella invaria* Eurylophella funeralis Haploperla brevis Hydropsyche bronta* Isonychia bicolor Lepidostoma sp. Maccaffertium modestum Maccaffertium vicarium* Ophiogomphus sp.* Paragnetina media Paraleptophlebia sp. Penelomax septentrionalis* Perlodidae Prostoia completa* Pycnopsyche guttifer* Stenacron interpunctatum* Strophopteryx fasciata*
Common Name Golden Drake Armored Mayfly Grannom/Apple Caddis Little Sister Sedge Dark Red Quill Blue-Winged Olive Blue-Winged Olive Sulphur/Orange Sulphur Yellow Drake Sulphur Chocolate Dun Sallfly/Yellow Sally Spotted Sedge Slate Drake/White Gloved Howdy Little Brown Sedge Light Cahill March Brown Snaketail Golden Stonefly Blue Quill Spring Fly/Yellow Stone Tiny Winter Black Stone Great Autumn Sedge Light Cahill Early Brown Stonefly
Life Stage Nymph Nymph Adults Larva Nymph Nymph Nymph Nymph/Dun Nymph Nymph Nymph Nymph Larva Nymph Larva Nymph Nymph Nymph Nymph Nymph Nymph Adults Adults Larva Nymph Adults
Collection Method Kick Kick Aerial Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick/Aerial Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Aerial Aerial Kick Kick Aerial
Stylogomphus ambistylus*
Least Clubtail
Nymph
Kick
Golden Drake nymph (Anthopotamus distinctus): Moderate numbers of these nymphs occurred in the kick samples (Ephemera varia nymph, below the A. distinctus, also in photo)
Armored mayfly (Baetisca sp.): Moderate numbers of these nymphs were collected in the kick samples.
Grannom (Brachycentrus sp.): This was the most common streamside adult insect (among the EPTs) during the May 17th event. Females were conspicuously lighter than the males, while both sexes were about a size #18.
Dark Red Quill (Cinygmula subaequalis): This species was one of the most abundant in the kick samples. None yet looked to be mature (as evidenced by a lack of well-developed wing pads), so emergence is likely still at least several weeks or more away. To color forms occurred in the kick samples: the black/yellow banded form as above and an unbanded light tannish yellow form.
Blue Winged Olive (Drunella cornuta/cornutella): This species was not very common in the kick samples. Known as the Blue Winged Olive (BWO), it’s typically larger than the Baetis species BWOs.
Yellow Drake (Ephemera varia); Several specimens of this species occurred in the kick samples. As burrowers, this nymph prefers slower water and a sand bottom.
Sulphur/Orange Sulphur (Epeorus vitreus): Only a few specimens of this species were collected in kick samples. One female dun E. vitreus was also collected during the event (no photo).
Sulphur (Ephemerella invaria): Only a few individuals of this species were collected in the kick samples. These specimens were close to fully mature, indicating the near arrival of the Sulphur to the East Branch.
Spotted Sedge (Hydropsyche bronta): Identified by the yellow banding on the head, this net-spinning caddisfly species occurred in modest numbers in the kick samples.
March Brown (Maccaffertium vicarium): This larger mayfly was common in the kick samples, and many specimens were mature, indicating the approach of the ever popular March Brown hatch. Note the black bands on the rear margin of each abdominal segment, a character shared only between M. vicarium and one other, much less common, species.
Snaketail (Ophiogomphus sp.): These larger dragonfly nymphs were fairly common in the kick samples.
Penelomax septentrionalis: This uncommon mayfly belongs to the same family as the popular Hendricksons and Sulphurs. Only one specimen was collected in the kick samples.
Tiny Winter Black Stone (Prostoia completa): Only one of this small stonefly (approximately size #18/20) was collected.
Great Autumn Sedge (Pycnopsyche guttifer ): While only a few of this species were collected in kick samples, this caddisfly is said to be common in the East Branch, often seen crawling about on rocks in slower-moving areas.
Least Clubtail (Stylogomphus ambistylus): Only one of this dragonfly species was caught in the kick samples. The adult of this species is also dark, primarily black with yellow banding and striping.
Light Cahill (Stenacron interpunctatum): This mid-summer-hatching mayfly was not obvious in the kick samples, in part likely because the nymphs are smaller because they’re not yet mature. The adults are a light orange to creamy yellow.
Early Brown Stone (Strophopteryx fasciata): Only one adult of this stonefly was collected. Larger than the Tiny Winter Black Stone collected, this stonefly was a #14/16.
