Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Stream Report: Buck Mt. Creek

Some interesting pictures for folks to compare.  Below is a photo of what was for me the first Uenoid caddisfly of the season: Buck Mt. Creek, December 11.  The case was very small.



Here is a Uenoid that I found today.


Note the larger pebbles on each side of the case: this is what we expect to see  in a mature Uenoid case.
I should add that I saw a number of Uenoid cases lining up in a row in preparation for pupation.

The other thing to compare -- three pictures I've taken at Buck Mt. Creek of large winter stoneflies, genus Strophopteryx (I'm no longer seeing any Taeniopteryx large winter stones, and I only saw two small winter stoneflies today).  The pictures, in order, were taken on 12/28, 1/6, and today, 1/28.




Note how the wingpads have changed in the more mature nymph that we found today.  These stoneflies will get even larger, and I would expect to see Strophopteryx nymphs through next month and maybe beyond.

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