Closeup insects from the Bois Brule River
Polydrusus (Green Weevils) Beetle Adult
View 3 PicturesThis is an iridescent green terrestrial (Terrestrial: Insects which live on land and are fed on by trout only when they incidentally fall into the water are known as "terrestrials" to fly anglers, and they're very important in late summer.) beetle. They're common in northern Wisconsin's forests during the middle of summer, and I found them on the water's surface more than any other terrestrial (Terrestrial: Insects which live on land and are fed on by trout only when they incidentally fall into the water are known as "terrestrials" to fly anglers, and they're very important in late summer.) insect. I saw the trout take a few and caught some trout on an imitation. Female Baetis (Blue-Winged Olives) Mayfly Dun
View 4 PicturesI'm guessing this specimen is in the genus Acerpenna because of the very sharp costal process (Costal process: A bump or point sticking up from the front margin of an insect's wing, usually the rear wing of certain mayflies. It is sometimes called a costal projection.) on her hind wing. I'm guessing pygmaea because it is the most common species.
Editor note: Not Acerpenna. This is most likely Baetis. See comments on this male specimen for rationale. Also compare with the female specimen associated with it. Female Ephemerellidae (Hendricksons, Sulphurs, PMDs, BWOs) Mayfly Dun
View 5 PicturesI found this little dun floating down the water's surface stuck in her nymphal shuck (Shuck: The shed exoskeleton left over when an insect molts into its next stage or instar. Most often it describes the last nymphal or pupal skin exited during emergence into a winged adult.). Such stillborn (Stillborn: In fly fishing, a stillborn insect is one which got stuck in its nymphal or pupal shuck during emergence and floats helplessly on the surface instead of flying away. It is a specific class of cripple, although it is sometimes used interchangeably with that term.) insects are sometiems targeted by the trout. I brought this one home to photograph since it's a species I don't have yet, but I haven't figured out which one.
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