Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives)
Taxonomic Navigation -?-
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
» Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
» Class Insecta (Insects)
» Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
» Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives)
11 genera aren't included.
Common Name
| Match | Common Name |
 | Blue-Winged Olives |
Fly Imitations by Orvis
| Stage | Fly Pattern |
| Nymph | Olive Flashback |
| Emerger | Emerging Para Dun - BWO |
| Emerger | Hi-Vis BWO Para Emerger |
| Dun | Blue Wing Olive Parachute |
| Dun | Blue Winged Olive |
| Dun | BWO AK's Parachute |
| Dun | Cripple Dun BWO |
| Dun | Indicator Parachute BWO |
| Spinner | Bead Head BWO Soft Hackle |
"These little critters supplant the importance of many other well-known mayfly hatches."
-Fred Arbona in Mayflies, the Angler, and the Trout
Arbona did not overestimate these critters. Their great numbers and multiple broods each season make up for their size, which is rarely larger than 16 and usually smaller than 18.
Entomologists seem to be perpetually reclassifying the species of this family. Only the stillwater genus Callibaetis is free from the confusion, as its most important species have been combined under the name Callibaetis ferrugineus.
Aside from that species, fishable Baetidae hatches nationwide are mostly likey to come from the species Baetis tricaudatus, Baetis brunneicolor, Baetis flavistriga, Diphetor hageni, and Acentrella turbida. In the West, Plauditus punctiventris joins the list. In the East and the Midwest, look for Baetis intercalaris and Plauditus dubius. The important species Heterocloeon anoka is exclusive to the Midwest.
Identification of these mayflies is difficult, and many of the lesser-known species probably produce excellent local hatches but have not caught the attention of anyone who can identify them. This is especially likely in the Southwest. The lesson is that we should not assume anything about the identity of a Baetidae hatch; it is not necessarily Baetis, and it may not be any familiar species.
Hatching Behavior
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Here's an underwater view of the pupal shucks of several already-emerged Brachycentrus numerosus caddisflies.
Nymph Biology
The fast-swimming Baetidae nymphs are an important trout food even during non-hatch periods. The popular Pheasant Tail Nymph pattern, in small sizes, imitates them fairly well.56 Mayfly Specimens in the Family Baetidae:
Acerpenna (Blue-Winged Olives) Mayfly Dun
View 14 PicturesThis dun molted most of the way into a spinner (though the wings got stuck) the evening after I photographed it, so I took some more photos of the spinner.
I found a female nearby, probably of the same species.
View 14 PicturesThis dun molted most of the way into a spinner (though the wings got stuck) the evening after I photographed it, so I took some more photos of the spinner.I found a female nearby, probably of the same species.
Region: Northeast
Collected Sep 19, 2006
Added Oct 4, 2006
Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives) Mayfly Nymph
View 10 PicturesThis male nymph is probably in its final instar (Instar: Many invertebrates molt through dozens of progressively larger and better-developed stages as they grow. Each of these stages is known as an instar. Hard-bodied nymphs typically molt through more instars than soft-bodied larvae.). The wing pads (Wing pad: A protrusion from the thorax of an insect nymph which holds the developing wings. Black wing pads usually indicate that the nymph is nearly ready to emerge into an adult.) are extremely black and the large turbinate (Turbinate: Shaped like a top or elevated on a stalk; usually refers to the eyes of some adult male Baetidae mayflies which are wider near the tip than at the base.) eyes are very apparent inside the nymph's head.
View 10 PicturesThis male nymph is probably in its final instar (Instar: Many invertebrates molt through dozens of progressively larger and better-developed stages as they grow. Each of these stages is known as an instar. Hard-bodied nymphs typically molt through more instars than soft-bodied larvae.). The wing pads (Wing pad: A protrusion from the thorax of an insect nymph which holds the developing wings. Black wing pads usually indicate that the nymph is nearly ready to emerge into an adult.) are extremely black and the large turbinate (Turbinate: Shaped like a top or elevated on a stalk; usually refers to the eyes of some adult male Baetidae mayflies which are wider near the tip than at the base.) eyes are very apparent inside the nymph's head.
Region: Upper Midwest
Collected Jun 9, 2005
Added May 26, 2006
Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives) Mayfly Spinner
View 12 PicturesThis species is probably in Centroptilum, Cloeon, or Procloeon. I captured this spinner on the same night as a dun which is probably of the same species.
View 12 PicturesThis species is probably in Centroptilum, Cloeon, or Procloeon. I captured this spinner on the same night as a dun which is probably of the same species.Region: Northeast
Collected Aug 9, 2006
Added Aug 11, 2006
1 Streamside Picture of Baetidae Mayflies:
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Often mayflies can be found on houses near the river. This one molted from a dun into a spinner on the outside of our kitchen window.
Any lit dwelling near the river can attract a lot of mayflies at night. A good way to determine what's hatching is to visit a gas station (or anything else with bright lights) close to the river early in the morning.
In this picture: Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives).
Any lit dwelling near the river can attract a lot of mayflies at night. A good way to determine what's hatching is to visit a gas station (or anything else with bright lights) close to the river early in the morning.
In this picture: Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives).
10 Underwater Pictures of Baetidae Mayflies:
This is my favorite underwater picture so far. It shows a bunch of Simuliidae (black fly) larvae clinging to a rock and swinging in the fast current. There are also at least four visible mayfly nymphs, probably in the family Baetidae.
In this picture: Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives) and True Fly Family Simuliidae (Black Flies).
In this picture: Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives) and True Fly Family Simuliidae (Black Flies).
Several Baetidae nymphs line up on a rock.
In this picture: Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives).
In this picture: Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives).
Recent Discussions of Baetidae
Baetis flavistriga computatii 7 Replies »
pleased to report the emergence of a new baetis flavistriga which i have christened computatii
forum visitors using the Firefox browser who put troutnut.com on their bookmarks toolbar have undoubtedly noticed a tiny dark mayfly icon in a blue box next the bookmark.
well, it's breeding. came back this evening from a week out of town to discover that the little troutnut computatii had a pal over next the hotmail.com bookmark where formerly there was only a generic white icon. am waiting for it to show up next the other two sites that have only generic icons.
now our resident boffins will help me with the Latin ending on the new name, (i tried to use the genitive plural) and then we'll ask Jason how he got these virtual flies to multiply.
CaseyReplyflavistriga broods
Posted by CaseyP on Jan 22, 2007 in the species Baetis flavistriga
Last reply on Jan 19, 2009 by Taxon
pleased to report the emergence of a new baetis flavistriga which i have christened computatii
forum visitors using the Firefox browser who put troutnut.com on their bookmarks toolbar have undoubtedly noticed a tiny dark mayfly icon in a blue box next the bookmark.
well, it's breeding. came back this evening from a week out of town to discover that the little troutnut computatii had a pal over next the hotmail.com bookmark where formerly there was only a generic white icon. am waiting for it to show up next the other two sites that have only generic icons.
now our resident boffins will help me with the Latin ending on the new name, (i tried to use the genitive plural) and then we'll ask Jason how he got these virtual flies to multiply.
Casey
Posted by Konchu on Jan 18, 2009 in the species Baetis flavistriga
Anyone have observations that they are willing to share of different flavistriga broods?
Jason says that B. flavistriga is a "combination of widely varying types in different places, it's hard to piece the information together into reliable hatch dates for the different broods in any given location." This is stated very well.
As part of my bug work, I'm trying to tease apart some of these "varying types" to see what, if anything, they might represent. Tapping into the experience base here might help.
ReplyCallibaetis Spinner Habits 8 Replies »Jason says that B. flavistriga is a "combination of widely varying types in different places, it's hard to piece the information together into reliable hatch dates for the different broods in any given location." This is stated very well.
As part of my bug work, I'm trying to tease apart some of these "varying types" to see what, if anything, they might represent. Tapping into the experience base here might help.
Posted by WildcatRob on Sep 8, 2007 in the species Callibaetis ferrugineus
Last reply on Jan 7, 2009 by Dgracia
With almost 40 years lake fishing experience in the Northwest (Washington) our callibaetis always seem to start hatching mid afternoon in the evening, mate overnight then the spinners start in the morning. The spinners draw the most intense "rise." I put rise in quotes because it is so delicate there it leaves almost no disturbance at all not even a sip.
Any comments? Hopefully contradictions?
Rob
Replyacentrella nymph 9 Replies »Any comments? Hopefully contradictions?
Rob
Posted by Goose on Nov 3, 2006 in the genus Acentrella
Last reply on Jul 6, 2008 by MelPrice
Hi Jason! Do you have a picture of the (acentrella-miniature BWO nymph) on the site? I've been fishing them and wanted a better idea of how they look.
Thanks,
Bruce
ReplyThanks,
Bruce
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