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Pink Ladies

Scientific Names

Like most common names, "Pink Lady" can refer to more than one taxon. They're previewed below, along with 6 specimens. For more detail click through to the scientific names.

Mayfly Genus Epeorus

These are sometimes called Pink Ladies.
There is remarkable variety of form and color within this prolific genus of fast-water mayflies. Different species are found across the country, and several cause good hatches. Fly anglers are likely to encounter the lesser species on occasion, too.

The best Epeorus hatch in the East is Epeorus pleuralis, the famous Quill Gordon, the first abundant large mayfly hatch of the year. Epeorus vitreus comes a little later and is important in both the East and Midwest.

In the West, Epeorus longimanus dominates in fast, high-altitude streams, while Epeorus albertae inhabits slower and lower waters.
Epeorus (Little Maryatts) Mayfly NymphEpeorus (Little Maryatts) Mayfly NymphView 9 Pictures
Region: Catskills
Collected May 6, 2007
Added May 18, 2007
Male Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly DunMale Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly DunView 9 PicturesI kept this specimen after photographing it and it molted into a spinner in perfect condition, which I photographed here.
Region: Northeast
Collected Apr 30, 2007
Added May 3, 2007
Male Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly SpinnerMale Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly SpinnerView 10 PicturesA few days earlier I photographed this same specimen as a dun. The changes between dun and spinner seem particularly dramatic in this species.
Region: Northeast
Collected Apr 30, 2007
Added May 3, 2007

Mayfly Species Epeorus albertae

These are sometimes called Pink Ladies.
This is one of the two most common Western species of Epeorus, and its spinner falls can be important.

Mayfly Species Epeorus vitreus

These are sometimes called Pink Ladies.
This is the second most common Epeorus species in the East and Midwest. Most anglers will encounter sporadic hatches of Epeorus vitreus once in a while, and sometimes a more concentrated emergence causes a good rise of fish.
Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly NymphEpeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly NymphView 6 Pictures
Region: Upper Midwest
Collected Feb 7, 2004
Added Jan 25, 2006
Female Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly DunFemale Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly DunView 6 Pictures
Region: Upper Midwest
Collected May 28, 2005
Added May 24, 2006
Female Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly SpinnerFemale Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly SpinnerView 9 Pictures
Region: Northeast
Collected Sep 19, 2006
Added Oct 4, 2006
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