Apple Caddis and Grannoms

Mayflies

Caddisflies

Stoneflies

Scientific Name

Match	Scientific Name
	Brachycentridae

This common name refers to only one family.

Caddisfly Family Brachycentridae

These are pretty much always called Apple Caddis and Grannoms.

Brachycentrus is one of the most important caddisfly genera in America. Microsema is smaller and rarely, if ever, significant. Amiocentrus aspilus can be an important Western hatch.

Brachycentrus americanus (American Grannom) Caddisfly Larva

View 18 PicturesThis species of Brachycentrus was extremely common in mid-September kick net samples in the Yakima canyon.

Collected September 12, 2020 from in
Added to Troutnut.com by on September 19, 2020

Brachycentrus (Grannoms) Caddisfly Pupa

View 10 PicturesThe green blob contained in this case is a pupa in the early stages of transformation from larva to the final stage we generally picture and imitate. This specimen and several like it were fixed to a rock I picked up, and each one had the front of its case sealed off, protecting the helpless pupa from predation. It's neat to see the insect part-way through such a radical transformation.

It was very hard to extract this thing from its case, so there's a bit of extra goo near the head from where I accidentally punctured it.

Collected April 14, 2007 from in
Added to Troutnut.com by on April 22, 2007

Brachycentrus appalachia (Apple Caddis) Caddisfly Adult

View 13 PicturesI captured this specimen in the same color as this photograph, during its egg-laying flight. The emergers are much lighter.

Collected May 13, 2007 from in
Added to Troutnut.com by on May 18, 2007

See 6 more specimens...

Jargon Defined:

Larva: Many classes of aquatic insects, such as caddisflies, midges, craneflies, dobsonflies, alderflies, and many more, are known as "larvae" rather than "nymphs" in their juvenile stages. They have mostly soft bodies rather than hard exoskeletons. These insects also advance through a "pupa" stage before reaching adulthood.

Pupa: Any insect which spends most of its juvenile lifetime as a larva first becomes a pupa for a time before emerging as a fully grown adult. Depending on the species, the pupal form can be very important for fly fishermen to imitate.