Mayfly Species Serratella deficiens (Darth Vader)
Taxonomic Navigation -?-
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
» Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
» Class Insecta (Insects)
» Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
» Family Ephemerellidae (Hendricksons, Sulphurs, PMDs, BWOs)
» Genus Serratella
» Species deficiens (Darth Vader)
Common Names
Where & When
Most writers say this species emerges in June and July, but Caucci and Nastasi in Hatches II report that it is important in the Catskills in the late summer and fall. The others might be referring to hatches in the Midwest, where the species is also prolific, or there may be some confusion between species.Hatching Behavior
Time Of Day (?): Late morning.
The tiny duns take a while to break through the surface film, and then they linger on the surface before flying off. Despite their small size they can provide excellent fishing where they are abundant.The angling literature says they hatch in late morning, and anglers familiar with the hatch confirm this, but they also report afternoon and evening hatches.
Spinner Behavior
These spinner falls are unimportant.Nymph Biology
Current Speed: Slow to mediumSubstrate: They do especially well in weedy streams.
1 Mayfly Specimen in the Species Serratella deficiens:
Serratella deficiens (Darth Vader) Mayfly Nymph
View 6 PicturesThis nymph has tiny, barely detectable tubercles (
Tubercle: Various peculiar little bumps or projections on an insect. Their character is important for the identification of many kinds of insects, such as the nymphs of Ephemerellidae mayflies.) on its abdominal segments, and I could not find the maxillary palpi. I have tentatively guessed that it is Serratella deficiens.
View 6 PicturesThis nymph has tiny, barely detectable tubercles (
A few (not all) of the abdominal tubercles on this Ephemerella needhami nymph are circled. They are especially large in this species.
Region: Upper Midwest
Collected Jun 9, 2005
Added May 26, 2006
