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Mayfly Species Ameletus ludens (Brown Dun)

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Common Name
MatchCommon Name
***Brown Dun
Pictures Below
This mayfly, which occasionally produces fishable hatches, is interesting because it's one of the only mayflies capable of parthenogenesis (Parthenogenesis: In some species of insects and other living things, such as the mayfly species Ameletus ludens, reproduction can take place without fertilization by a male. This process is called parthenogenesis.).  

Where & When


Regions: East, Midwest

Time Of Year (?): Late spring

Preferred Waters: Freestone streams

This is the most important Eastern species of Ameletus.

Hatching Behavior


Time Of Day (?): Late afternoon

Fred Arbona notes in Mayflies, the Angler, and the Trout that the best Ameletus ludens hatches come on cloudy days.


Pictures of 3 Mayfly Specimens in the Species Ameletus ludens:

Recent Discussions of Ameletus ludens

Brown Dun hatch/swarm time? 10 Replies »
Posted by Konchu on Apr 25, 2009
Last reply on Apr 30, 2009 by Troutnut
Has anyone else watched a Brown Dun hatch or swarm? If so, what time of day did you see it, and how long did it last?

I came upon a woodland swarm late this evening. I thought I saw mating occurring higher above the stream. This would mean that parthenogenesis is not necessarily happening in "my" stream. I watched for awhile, but got distracted (venomous snake). I hope to catch it (the hatch, not the snake) again tomorrow night and note the egg-laying behavior and possibly nab some male adults for science. There's a range of nymph ages, so I should be OK, weather permitting.
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