Stonefly Nymphs

[SBecker]

Would like help identifying these. I kinda think all of them are the same, except the Perlidae on top and mayfly nymph on the bottom. Stream sample taken on the Pohopoco creek in Carbon county.

 

[pcray1231]

These are fairly big, right? (like, not in the little winter size category).

They could be some sort of salmon fly. But based on the overall shape and the head, I think they are more golden stones (perlidae) like the top one, just likely a different species.

 

[phillyfly]

The top one screams golden stone with the mottling apparent in the body and I agree with pcray that the others are some other sort of golden stone due to the sheer size. It also looks like you got yourself a march brown nymph at the bottom there with the three tails. Im still pretty green to identifying the nymphs so I could be wrong. Im sad to say I havent turned over many rocks at the Po but these are exciting discoveries. Nice work

 

[SBecker]

Yes they were all fairly large stoneflies. They are in a petri dish, so I do not know if that helps you with size.

I collected these and a whole lot of other aquatic macro-invertebrates for my teaching science class. Teacher found everything I collected to be really great. However, in a class of 7 and 6 of them being girls, they were not to enthused. I only took the photo's of the stone's because I really enjoy observing them.

 

[pcray1231]

Yeah, good close up shots would likely be required to narrow to the exact species, and even then it's tough. But I think we've got it narrowed down to the genus. You have a bunch of golden stonefly nymphs there, at least 2 different species. Plus one mayfly nymph.

Philly, there are some species of mayfly with 3 tails at the nymph stage, and only 2 in duns and spinners. That said, this one's a clinger, and certainly could be a March Brown.

 

[wgmiller]

If six of them were girls, you should have shown them the worm you go fishing with! ;-)

 

[SBecker]

A few of them have seen it already. Heyya!

 

[sandfly]

Golden Stone ( Acroneuria abnormis )