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Insects by Common Name
Kennebago | January 7th, 2012, 12:50 pm | |
Kennebago Maine Posts: 2 | I've been told this could be a brown drake or a green drake.....any help on the correct identification please? | |
Fish Kennebago, you'll be glad you did. | ||
Entoman | January 7th, 2012, 3:30 pm | |
Northern CA & ID Posts: 2604 | Hi Kennebago - Welcome to the forum! The insect in your photo is a Hexagenia (probably limbata) male imago (spinner), usually referred to as "Hex" in current fly fishing journalism. Besides Hex, the most used common names seem to be Great Yellow Drake (in regions w/out E. varia), Big Yellow May, and Michigan Caddis. Great Lead-winged Olive or Lead-winged Drake are also common for the darker winged non-yellowish strains of this species. There is a lot of regional variation in appearance and the males are smaller and often much darker than the females. This is the reason for so many different descriptive names for the same species. Though they do belong to the same family of mayflies (Ephemeridae), the names Green Drake and Brown Drake refer to three tailed species in the different genus Ephemera. Tail counts in the adults aside, all the nymphs of this family have a similar appearance. They can be easily identified by their large size, heavily gilled abdomens and tusks. BTW - Nice photo. Best Regards | |
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman | ||
Kennebago | January 8th, 2012, 6:41 am | |
Kennebago Maine Posts: 2 | Thanks very much for the clarification. I use an Olympus 790 Stylus camera now. Had drowned two earlier digital cameras on the river before wising up to purchase a waterproof camera. It has a very nice closeup setting. | |
Fish Kennebago, you'll be glad you did. | ||
Entoman | January 10th, 2012, 3:30 am | |
Northern CA & ID Posts: 2604 | You're welcome. Your camera does a nice job with you at the controls. I look forward to more of your photos. Click on this link to check out what I meant by regional variations. You wouldn't think it the same species, but it is. FWIW, if I fished your hatch, I'd call it a Lead-wing Drake. Don't like the name "Hex" and there's not much yellow or olive on your specimen.:) http://www.troutnut.com/topic/745/Hex-in-NC Also check out some of Jason's excellent photos under Hexagenia limbata in the hatch encyclopedia pages. | |
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman | ||
Title | Replies | Last Reply |
Re: New Mexico ??? In Beginner Help by Hankaye | 3 | Apr 19, 2013 by Sayfu |
green drake hatch on yellow creek In Male Ephemera guttulata Mayfly Spinner by Liljrob | 0 | |
Re: i posted this in the forum, but... In the Insect Order Ephemeroptera by Rckrego | 1 | Apr 18, 2007 by Troutnut |
Re: The "Mess" In Fly Tying by Wiflyfisher | 9 | Sep 14, 2007 by JMarcus |
Re: Coffin Fly Spinner In Male Ephemera simulans Mayfly Spinner by Jackson | 6 | Jun 10, 2009 by Martinlf |
Re: Green Drake Hatch Temp? In the Mayfly Species Ephemera guttulata by NEMatt | 1 | May 24, 2014 by Entoman |
Re: green drake In Female Ephemera guttulata Mayfly Dun by Roytop | 3 | Jun 1, 2011 by Troutnut |
Re: Baetis v Empheralla Attenuata In the Identify This! Board by Byhaugh | 5 | Dec 18, 2013 by Entoman |
Re: Baetid nymph color In Male Baetidae Mayfly Nymph by Martinlf | 1 | Dec 26, 2006 by GONZO |
Re: BWO Color In General Discussion by Goose | 3 | Mar 27, 2013 by JOHNW |