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Mayfly Species Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur)

Taxonomic Navigation -?-
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
» Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
» Class Insecta (Insects)
» Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
» Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons)
» Genus Epeorus (Little Maryatts)
» Species vitreus (Sulphur)
Common Names
Pictures Below
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.  

Where & When

Regions: East, Midwest
Time Of Year (?): Mid-May through early September, peaking in May-June
This Midwestern hatch of Epeorus vitreus is a week or two behind the Eastern emergence.

I believe I encountered a fishable hatch of this species in the Catskills in early September, but I could not positively identify the flies.

Hatching Behavior

Time Of Day (?): Late afternoon and evening, peaking at dusk
Habitat: Riffles
Epeorus vitreus emerges underwater. The duns reportedly leave their nymphal shucks (
Here's an underwater view of the pupal shucks of several already-emerged Brachycentrus numerosus caddisflies.
Here's an underwater view of the pupal shucks of several already-emerged Brachycentrus numerosus caddisflies.
Shuck: The shed exoskeleton left over when an insect molts into its next stage or instar. Most often it describes the last nymphal or pupal skin exited during emergence into a winged adult.
)
while rising to the surface rather than on the bottom.

Spinner Behavior

Time Of Day: Early evening; later on hot days
Habitat: Riffles
The females oviposit by flying low over the water and repeatedly dipping their abdomens in and out. When they're done, they fall spent (Spent: The wing position of many aquatic insects when they fall on the water after mating. The wings of both sides lay flat on the water. The word may be used to describe insects with their wings in that position, as well as the position itself.) with the males.

Nymph Biology

Current Speed: Medium to fast
Substrate: Boulders and gravel
These mayflies survive under a wider range of conditions than Epeorus pleuralis, but they do require a rock or gravel bottom. They do best in fast water.

Epeorus vitreus Fly Fishing Tips

At a distance, this species is easily mistaken for other Sulphur species like Ephemerella invaria by the untrained eye who does not look beyond size and color. This is one more reason to quickly collect a dun if you're having trouble matching a Sulphur hatch.

10 Mayfly Specimens in the Species Epeorus vitreus:

Specimen Page:12
Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly SpinnerEpeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly SpinnerView 9 Pictures
Region: Northeast
Collected Sep 19, 2006
Added Oct 4, 2006
Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly DunEpeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly DunView 6 Pictures
Region: Upper Midwest
Collected May 28, 2005
Added May 24, 2006
Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly DunEpeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly DunView 4 Pictures
Region: Upper Midwest
Collected Jun 8, 2005
Added May 26, 2006
Specimen Page:12

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