Speckled Peters

Mayflies

Caddisflies

Stoneflies

Scientific Name

Match	Scientific Name
	Helicopsyche

This common name refers to only one genus.

Caddisfly Genus Helicopsyche

These are often called Speckled Peters.

See Helicopsyche borealis for details. It is the only important trout stream species in this genus.

Helicopsyche borealis (Speckled Peter) Caddisfly Pupa

View 13 PicturesI'm calling this one very tentatively Helicopsyche borealis, with some big caveats that I might be wrong.

It seems to key fairly easily to Helicopsychidae, except at the last couplet in Merritt & Cummins (5th ed) it's supposed to have “anal processes short and straight, each with several mesal (Mesal: Toward the middle.) setae (Seta: Little hairs on insects.) and 2 long apical (Apical: Close to the apex; tip or end.) setae (Seta: Little hairs on insects.),” whereas this one has VERY short, straight processes with 3 long apical (Apical: Close to the apex; tip or end.) setae (Seta: Little hairs on insects.) and no mesal (Mesal: Toward the middle.) ones.

Additionally, the only species of Helicopsychidae documented in this region is Helicopsyche borealis, which is supposed to emerge much later in the summer.

Collected April 9, 2021 from in
Added to Troutnut.com by on April 12, 2021

Helicopsyche borealis (Speckled Peter) Caddisfly Adult

View 7 PicturesThis one keys pretty easily to the Helicopsychidae family, of which there is only one genus in North America, and one species reported in this general area.

Collected July 31, 2020 from in
Added to Troutnut.com by on August 17, 2020

Speckled Peters

Caddisfly Genus Helicopsyche

Jargon Defined: