EPT List: the small mountain streams in Sugar Hollow

The small streams that empty into the Moormans in Sugar Hollow are all first order/headwater streams, and many of the insects that we find there are only found in such streams.  I've highlighted in Bold no less than 27 EPT species that I've seen in these streams and nowhere else.   I have no doubt whatsoever that we will find additional unique taxa in these clean, crystal clear waters that cascade down the mountains into this valley.   I fault myself for not moving out to explore even more streams in the Blue Ridge.

These streams are especially rich in caddisfly larvae, freeliving caddisfly larvae (Rhyacophilids) and the Uenoids -- the "little northern casemakers."   We've identified 4 of the Rhyacophilids so far, but we've found at least 2 other species on which more work needs to be done.  You may recall that the Appalachian mountains are the best place in the world to look for Rhyacophilids.

Also worth noting, I've only found 2 small minnow mayfies in these waters so far, most common, the very intolerant (1.5) Baetis tricaudatus.  This is a "mountains only" small minnow mayfly which I've also found at the Rapidan River and South River up in Greene county.
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            EPT Species List: headwater streams in Sugar Hollow

                 

 I. Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)

1. Ameletidae

1. Ameletus lineatus

2. Ameletus cryptostimulus

2. Baetidae (Small minnow mayflies)

1. Baetis tricaudatus
2. Heterocloeon amplum

3. Heptageniidae (Flatheaded mayflies)

1. Cinygmula subaequalis

2. Epeorus pleuralis
3. Epeorus vitreus

4. Leucrocuta juno

5. Leucrocuta sp. (aphrodite?)

6. Maccaffertium meririvulanum

7. Maccaffertium pudicum
8. Stenacron sp.

4.  Ephemerellidae (Spiny crawler mayflies)

1. Ephemerella dorothea

2. Ephemerella invaria

3. Eurylophella verisimilis

4. Eurylophella funeralis

5. Leptophlebiidae (Pronggilled mayflies)

1. Paraleptophlebia

6. Ephemeridae (Common burrower mayflies)

1. Ephemera guttalata

II. Plecoptera (Stoneflies)

1. Capniidae (Small winter stoneflies)

1. Allocapnia

2. Paracapnia angulata

2. Leuctridae (Needleflies)

1. Leuctra

3. Nemouridae (Forestflies)

1. Amphinemura

2. Soyedina

4. Taeniopterygidae (Large winter stoneflies)

1. Taenionema atlanticum

2. Taeniopteryx burksi/maura

5.  Chloroperlidae (Green stoneflies)

1. Alloperla

2. Haploperla brevis

3. Sweltsa

6. Peltoperlidae (Roach-like stoneflies)

1. Peltoperla

2. Tallaperla

3. Viehoperla

7. Perlidae (Common stoneflies)

1. Acroneuria abnormis

4. Eccoptura xanthenses

8. Perlodidae (Springflies and Stripetails)

1. Diploperla duplicata

2. Isoperla holochlora

3. Isoperla montana

4. Isoperla similis

5. Isoperla sp.1

6. Isoperla sp.2

7. Malirekus hastatus

8. Remenus bilobatus

9. Pteronarcys (Giant stoneflies)

1. Pteronarcys proteus (also found at upper Doyles and Entry Run)

III. Trichoptera (Caddisflies)

1. Rhyacophilidae (Free-living caddisflies)

1. Rhyacophila carolina

2. Rhyacophila fuscula

3. Rhyacophila nigrita

4. Rhyacophila glaberrima

5. Rhyacophila sp.

2. Glossosomatidae (Saddle-case makers)

1. Glossosoma nigrior

3. Philopotamidae (Fingernet caddisflies)

1. Dolophilodes distincta

2. Wormaldia

4. Polycentropodidae

1. Polycentropus

5. Hydropsychidae (Common Netspinners)

1. Ceratopsyche alhedra

2. Diplectrona modesta

3. Diplectrona metaqui

6. Lepidostomatidae

1. Lepidostoma

7. Limnephilidae (Northern case-makers)

1. Pycnopsyche gentilis

8. Goeridae

1. Goera fuscula
2. Goera calcarata

 9. Uenoidae

2. Neophylax consimillis

3. Neophylax aniqua

4. Neophylax mitchelli

6. Neophylax toshioi (possible ID)

10. Odontoceridae (Strong case-makers)

1. Psilotreta rufa

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Photos of some of the taxa that we've only seen in these small mountain streams.

1. Common burrower mayfly, Ephemera guttalata 

2. Flatheaded mayfly, Maccaffertium merririvulanum

3. Perlodid stonefly, Isoperla similis

4. Perlodid stonefly, Isoperla sp.1 (species not yet identified).

5. Perlodid stonefly, Isoperla sp.2 (species not yet identified)

6. Small winter stonefly, Paracapnia angulata

7. Freeliving caddisfly larva, Rhyacophila nigrita

8. Common netspinner larva, Diplectrona modesta

9. Northern casemaker, Pycnopsyche gentilis

10. Uenoid casemaker, Neophylax aniqua

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Below: two of the streams that I visit in Sugar Hollow.

An EPT List for the Rapidan River (as of 7/14/13)

(It has to represent the Rapidan River: the common stonefly, Paragnetina immarginata, tolerance value 1.1.  It is one of 11 taxa that, to date, I have seen nowhere else.)

I have two sites in the Rapidan River in Madison County that I examine in a regular way: one is adjacent to the beginning of the Graves Mill Trail in the Shenandoah National Park, the other is .3 miles below that.  These are the sites seen in spring.

These are two of my favorites sites because of the quantity and quality of the insects I see.

Let me make a couple of comments on the list that's posted below.  1) The taxa I've seen nowhere else are highlighted in Bold (photos of the 11 are posted at the end of this entry).  They are: 1 and 2) the spiny crawler mayflies Ephemerella subvaria (TV undetermined -- too uncommon) and Telagnopis deficiens (2.6); 3) the pronggilled mayfly, Habrophlebia vibrans (0.3); 4) the common stonefly in the photo above, Paragnetina immarginata (1.1); 5-7) the Perlodid stoneflies Isogenoides hansoni (undetermined -- uncommon), Isoperla nr. holochlora (0.0) and Isoperla orata (0.0); 8) the Giant stonefly Pteronarcys biloba (0.0); 9) the common netspinner Ceratopsyche slossonae (0.0); 10) the humpless casemaker Micrasema charonis (1.0); and 11) the Northern casemaker, Pycnopsyche scabripennis (2.5).  The tolerance values, noted in Bold, are a good indication of the quality of this stream.  And 2) the families that are especially diverse in this stream are the small minnow mayflies -- 7 species, the spiny crawlers -- 5 species, the common netspinner genus Ceratopsyche -- 5 species,  and the Perlodid stoneflies -- 10 species.  The Perlodid stoneflies in the Rapidan River are very intolerant insects.
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                EPT Species List for the Rapidan River

                 

I. Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)

1. Baetidae (Small minnow mayflies)

1. Acentrella nadineae

2. Acentrella turbida

3. Baetis intercalaris

4. Baetis pluto

5. Baetis tricaudatus

6. Heterocloeon amplum

7. Plauditus dubius

2. Isonychiidae (Brushlegged mayflies)

1. Isonychia

3. Heptageniidae (Flatheaded mayflies)

1. Epeorus pleuralis

2. Epeorus vitreus

3. Leucrocuta hebe

4. Leucrocuta sp. (aphrodite?)

5. Maccaffertium ithaca

6. Maccaffertium pudicum

7. Maccaffertium sp. (modestum?)

4.  Ephemerellidae (Spiny crawler mayflies)

1. Ephemerella dorothea

2. Ephemerella invaria

3. Ephemerella subvaria

4. Serratella serratoides

5. Teloganopsis deficiens

5. Leptophlebiidae (Pronggilled mayflies)

1. Paraleptophlebia mollis
2. Paraleptophlebia guttata

3. Habrophlebia vibrans

 II. Plecoptera (Stoneflies)

1. Capniidae (Small winter stoneflies)

1. Allocapnia

2. Leuctridae (Needleflies)

1. Leuctra

3. Nemouridae (Forestflies)

1. Amphinemura

2. Prostoia

4. Taeniopterygidae (Large winter stoneflies)

1. Strophopteryx fasciata

2. Taenionema atlanticum

3. Taeniopteryx burksi/maura

5.  Chloroperlidae (Green stoneflies)

1. Sweltsa

6. Peltoperlidae (Roach-like stoneflies)

2. Tallaperla

7. Perlidae (Common stoneflies)

1. Acroneuria abnormis

6. Paragnetina immarginata

8. Perlesta

8. Perlodidae (Springflies and Stripetails)

1. Diploperla duplicata

2. Isogenoides hansoni

3. Isoperla dicala

4. Isoperla holochlora

5. Isoperla nr. holochlora

6. Isoperla montana

7. Isoperla orata

8. Isoperla nr. orata

9. Malirekus hastatus

10. Rememus bilobatus

9. Pteronarcys (Giant stoneflies)

1. Pteronarcys biloba

III. Trichoptera (Caddisflies)

1. Rhyacophilidae (Free-living caddisflies)

1. Rhyacophlia fuscula

2. Glossosomatidae (Saddle-case makers)

1. Glossosoma nigrior

3. Philopotamidae (Fingernet caddisflies)

1. Chimarra

2. Dolophilodes distincta

4. Hydropsychdae (Common Netspinners)

1. Ceratopsyche alhedra

2. Ceratopsyche bronta

3. Ceratopsyche morosa

4. Ceratopsyche slossonae

5. Ceratopsyche sparna

6. Cheumatopsyche

5. Brachycentridae (Humpless case-makers)

1. Brachycentrus appalachia

3. Micrasema charonis

6. Lepidostomatidae

1. Lepidostoma

7. Limnephilidae (Northern case-makers)

3. Pycnopsyche scabripennis

8. Apataniidae

1. Apatania incerta

 9. Uenoidae

2. Neophylax consimillis

10. Odontoceridae (Strong case-makers)

1. Psilotreta labida

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1. Spiny crawler mayfly, Ephemerella subvaria

2. Spiny crawler mayfly, Telagnopis deficiens

3. Pronggilled mayfly, Habrophlebia varians

4. Pronggilled mayfly, Paraleptophlebia guttata

5. Common stonefly, Paragnetina immarginata (pictured at the top of the page)

6. Perlodid stonefly, Isogenoides hansoni

7. Perlodid stonefly, Isoperla nr. holochlora

8. Perlodid stonefly, Isoperla orata

9. Giant stonefly, Pteronarcys biloba

10. Common netspinner, Ceratopsyche slossonae

11. Humpless casemaker, Micrasema charonis

12. Northern casemaker, Pycnopsyche scabripennis

Important news -- and this year's favorite photos

I regret that my postings have dwindled -- if you live in Virginia you surely know why: rain!  This past week we've had 5 inches of rain where I live, consequently, our streams are out of control: high, fast, and muddy.  More rain -- in the form of thunderstorms from which the rain falls in buckets -- is in the forecast for the foreseeable future.  All of us are longing for an extended period of dry, sunny days, and until we see those conditions, I'll be hard pressed to get back to the work of looking for and photographing aquatic insects.

In the meantime -- one bit of news from Steven Beaty:  "The Ephemeroptera of North Carolina" has been revised and updated.  It is available at: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/taxonmanual.  For those of you who want to do it, the document can be downloaded and printed.  It has doubled in size from roughly 50 pages to roughly 100 pages.  The documents on "Plecoptera" (stoneflies) and "Trichoptera" (caddisflies) will receive the same treatment in the near future.

Until I can return to the streams, I plan to work on several projects for future postings.  I want to assemble EPT lists for 1) the Rapidan River, 2) the small, first order streams in Sugar Hollow, and 3) possibly the Rivanna River.

Back with those soon.  Here are some of my favorite photos from the recent winter/spring season.  Most -- but not all -- of these taxa are insects I've seen for the first time this year.

I. Mayflies (Ephemeroptera)

1. Pronggilled mayfly, genus Leptophlebia.

2. Spiny crawler mayfly, Drunella walkeri.

3. Spiny crawler mayfly, Drunella tuberculata: an unusual shot looking directly at the face and head.

4. Spiny crawler mayfly, Ephemerella dorothea.

5. Flatheaded mayfly, Leucrocuta juno.

6. Flatheaded mayfly, Epeorus fragilis.

7. Small minnow mayfly, Heterocloeon amplum.  Unusual colors.

8. Small minnow mayfly, Acentrella nadineae.

II. Stoneflies (Plecoptera)

1. Common stonefly, Agnetina annulipes.

2. Common stonefly, Paragnetina fumosa.

3. Perlodid stonefly, Isoperla davisi.

4. Perlodid stonefly, Isoperla montana.

5. Perlodid stonefly, Isoperla orata.

III. Caddisflies (Trichoptera)

1. Humpless casemaker, Brachycentrus appalachia (top) and a Little mountain casemaker, Apatania incerta (bottom).

2. Little mountain casemaker, Apatania incerta.

3. Uenoid casemaker, Neophylax oligius.

4. Uenoid casemaker, Neophylax aniqua.  (Next to the case of a Northern casemaker, Pycnopsyche gentilis.)

5. Freeliving caddisfly larva, Rhyacophila fenestra/ledra.

6. Humpless casemaker, Micrasema charonis.

Make that "four" common netspinner species at the Moormans on the Fourth of July: Hydropsyche rossi

I've been reviewing my photos from July the 4th, and I've noticed that I actually found four netspinner species at the Moormans that day, not three as I had posted.   In one small stretch of that stream, I found Ceratopsyche sparna, Ceratopsyche bronta, Hydropsyche betteni, and Hydropsyche rossi.  Pretty impressive.

I had failed to notice the anterolateral spots on that larva in the photo at the top of the page.  These:

The head pattern of H. rossi larvae is similar to that of H. venularis, which is described by Schuster and Etnier in the following way: "Head bronze in color.  Frontoclypeus with two pairs of yellow spots anterolaterally; anterior spots larger than posterior spots.  Spots often fused to form two, large, anterolateral spots."  (Schuster and Etnier, p. 96) Note that they are fused on our larva.  For reference -- here is a photo taken last year of H. venularis.

But H. rossi and H. venularis can be distinguished in the following way: H. rossi -- "rows of muscle scars on side of head not curved dorsad posteriorly"; H. venularis -- "muscle scars on side of head in rows that curve dorsad posteriorly."  (Beaty, "The Trichoptera of North Carolina," p. 76)

Here's a look at those curved muscle scars on H. venularis -- they move up towards the top of the head.

But here are the muscle scars on our larva from the Moormans:

Hydropsyche rossi.  Tolerance value, 4.8.  Not sure how I missed that one on Thursday.