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March 3rd, 2003 Your questions and answers about everything stream related.
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Q. I have a friend that has got me thinking about mayflies...and I am stumped. He says that he witnessed a hatch of some small insects that appeared to be almost like a blue wing olive one day. Quite a few got trapped in his vehicle since he left his windows open. We he got up the next morning, and as the temperature started rising, he noticed that the small flies were hatching or shedding again! Only this time, the flies were much more pale in color and slightly smaller. Anyway, I just wanted to know if this is a normal occurrence with some mayfly species, or if we are just imagining it!
A.
No, you didn't imagine anything. What you
witnessed was quite common in mayflies.
These insects initially hatch from the nymph
into a sub-adult, or imago, form which is duller
in color and less active and which anglers refer
to as the "dun." After a short period of time,
they undergo a second molt into the true
adult - usually, as you observed, lighter in
color, shiny, and active. It is in this form
that they take flight and mate.
~ C. E. (Bert) Cushing, aka Streamdoctor
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The 'Stream Doctor' is a retired professional stream ecologist and
author, now living in the West and spending way too much time
fly-fishing. You are invited to submit questions relating to
anything stream related directly to him for use in this Q & A Feature
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