Insect ID?

[JLB]

A bunch of these were floating on the Brodhead today, saw a few fish take them. About a size 12. Any ideas?

 

[dc410]

Some large species of black fly, possibly a black soldier fly. Definitely an interesting one.

 

[poopdeck]

Black fly or gnat.

 

[Tups]

Looks like
Order: Diptera
Family: Bibionidae

Common names: March flies, hawthorn flies, heather flies, bibio, etc. There are many species in the US and Europe. In the UK, fishermen count on fishing to hatches of Bibio Marci, the St. Mark’s fly or hawthorn fly in late April and early May.

 

[sandflyx]

biblio fly

 

[troutbert]

From Wikipedia: Bibionid larvae grow up in grassy areas and are herbivores and scavengers feeding on dead vegetation or living plant roots. Some species are found in compost.

So, apparently, they are not aquatic insects.

 

[Tups]

Not aquatic species but they are blown onto the water in numbers at times and trout seem to like them. I fished a numerous “ hatch” on a NEPA freestoner almost 40 years ago and caught a lot of fish that day using a 16 black ant pattern.

 

[JLB]

Good info. Thanks!

 

[Bamboozle]

Bug...

 

[moorestowngreg]

I know it's late in this thread, but just saw this and was on the Brodhead at the same time. I believe this is what Charles Wetzel called the "red-legged march fly". There were tons of them there in April.