Blog & Latest Updates
Fly Fishing Articles
Insects by Common Name

Trout Streams & Rivers
Trout Pictures
Underwater Pictures

Desktop Backgrounds
Stream & Bug Videos
Image Use Pricing

**Male Baetis tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Spinner Pictures**

Mayflies

Caddisflies

Stoneflies

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

» Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

» Class Insecta (Insects)

» Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)

» Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives)

» Genus Baetis (Blue-Winged Olives)

» Species tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive)

Some notes from identifying this specimen under the microscope:

1. The hind wing has three longitudinal veins (Longitudinal vein: Longitudinal veins are the major long veins running length-wise through an insect's wing, connecting the base to the outer margin, or the major branches from those veins.), but the third is faint, short (about half the length of the wing), and close to the wing margin.
2. Then antenna is brown fading into white at the tip, and the base is ringed with white.
3. The joints of the tarsal segments on the middle and hind leg have fine black markings.

It was also collected in association with a female spinner.

This mayfly was collected from Silver Creek on September 4th, 2020 and added to Troutnut.com on September 18th, 2020.

View Full Size and Comment (6.7X larger)

Male Baetis tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Spinner from Silver Creek in Idaho

View Full Size and Comment (3.4X larger)

View Full Size and Comment (6.7X larger)

View Full Size and Comment (4.2X larger)

View Full Size and Comment (6.1X larger)

View Full Size and Comment (4.4X larger)

View Full Size and Comment (5.5X larger)

View Full Size and Comment (6.7X larger)

View Full Size and Comment (5.2X larger)

The antennae: brown, fading to white at the tip, with the base ringed with white.

View Full Size and Comment (5X larger)

This view of the hind wing, seen through the forewing (which makes it a bit confusing), shows some of the 3rd longitudinal vein right along the bottom edge extending about half-way through the wing.

View Full Size and Comment (3.1X larger)

Black markings around the tarsal joinings of the hind leg.

Recent Discussions of this Spinner

Baetis bicaudatus 12 Replies »

Posted by Taxon on Nov 7, 2020

Last reply on Nov 12, 2020 by Millcreek

Hi Jason-

I believe this male imago to be Baetis bicaudatus.

Reply Baetis adult species IDs?

Posted by Troutnut on Nov 6, 2020

Does anyone here know any decent resources for identifying adult Baetis? I haven't found much.

This specimen sure seems to nicely fit the original description of Baetis alius adults. But I can't find very precise descriptions (let alone a key) for flavistriga and tricaudatus, both of which are other likely options given the location.

These made for a good fishable hatch on Silver Creek, so it sure would be nice to know what they are.

Start a Discussion of this Spinner:

You must log in at the top of the page to post. If you haven't registered yet, it's this easy:

Male Baetis tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Spinner Pictures

Recent Discussions of this Spinner

Start a Discussion of this Spinner:

Jargon Defined:

**Male Baetis tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Spinner Pictures**