Caddisfly Family Hydropsychidae
5 genera (Diplectrona, Homoplectra, Oropsyche, Smicridea, Synoestropsis)
aren't included.
This is page 3 of specimens of Hydropsychidae. Visit the main Hydropsychidae page for:
- The behavior and habitat of Hydropsychidae.
- 1 underwater picture of Hydropsychidae.
Pictures of 28 Caddisfly Specimens in the Family Hydropsychidae:
Male Cheumatopsyche (Little Sister Sedges) Caddisfly Adult
View 12 PicturesI didn't identify this one directly, but I eventually identified one of several I collected from the same swarms that appeared to be of the same species. (I lost track of which specimen was which in storage.) The microscope pictures come from one of these specimen, not necessarily the same specimen as the DSLR pictures. They key to Cheumatopsyche, and the hind wing venation (Venation: The pattern in which the veins on the wings of an insect are arranged. It is usually one of the most useful identifying characteristics.) that separates them from Hydropsyche is pretty clear in the attached picture as well as another specimen I checked under the scope.
This specimen was one of tens of thousands we saw on a July 1st evening on the Madison, beginning with big swarms around every vehicle and tree at the Eight Mile Ford access point and continuing all up and down the river bank. We somehow didn't catch any trout, perhaps because they were stuffed with pupae from when these things emerged. Or maybe we just weren't fishing well. Either way, this one represents a major hatch there.
I somehow forgot to photograph this important specimen against the hooks size chart, but fortunately I preserved a few. The body length is about 6 mm, and total length from head to wingtip is 9 mm. Cheumatopsyche (Little Sister Sedges) Caddisfly Pupa
View 3 PicturesI was surprised how bright green this pupa is. It's chartreuse. After collecting it, I experimented with melting down chartreuse jigs and making little translucent rubber caddis abdomens on my flies. They looked good, and the trout liked them, but they weren't very durable at all. This specimen is recently deceased in the photographs.