Mayflies
Mayflies are the most important insects for anglers to understand, because they are common on trout streams, they often hatch in frenzied bursts of activity, and their behavior varies so widely between families and sometimes even species that it's useful to know and imitate the habits of each. They are a primitive order of insects, and their elegance and delicate lives have made them popular beyond the world of trout fishing.
This common name refers to only one order.
Insect Order Ephemeroptera
These are pretty much always called Mayflies.
Mayflies may be the most important insects for trout anglers to understand. They are famous outside the fly fishing world for their fragile beauty and short adult lifespan, usually a single day to mate and die. The mayfly's poignant drama attracts poets and fishermen alike, but fishermen make the most of it.
Hexagenia limbata (Hex) Mayfly Nymph
View 9 Pictures
View 9 PicturesRegion: Upper Midwest
Collected Jun 8, 2005
Added May 26, 2006
Male Leptophlebia cupida (Black Quill) Mayfly Dun
View 6 PicturesThis Leptophlebia cupida dun was extremely cooperative, and it molted into a spinner for me in front of the camera. Here I have a few dun pictures and one spinner picture, and I've put the entire molting sequence in an article.
View 6 PicturesThis Leptophlebia cupida dun was extremely cooperative, and it molted into a spinner for me in front of the camera. Here I have a few dun pictures and one spinner picture, and I've put the entire molting sequence in an article.Region: Upper Midwest
Collected May 27, 2005
Added May 16, 2006
Male Hexagenia atrocaudata (Late Hex) Mayfly Spinner
View 12 Pictures
View 12 PicturesRegion: Upper Midwest
Collected Jul 24, 2005
Added Apr 15, 2006
Female Maccaffertium (March Browns and Cahills) Mayfly Adult
View 13 Pictures
View 13 PicturesRegion: Upper Midwest
Collected May 26, 2005
Added May 16, 2006
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