That was yesterday collecting at a freshwater stream.
Stone flies emerging, and some midges. The rest I got by dragging a net in the gravel.
Canon T2I with a 40mm lens and 39 mm tubes.
There were a lot of aquatic amphiopods, too. They die easily as water warms. They also dye the alcohol I put them in a steamed shrimp looking pink.
Grass collected went into an aquarium I keep set up. Never know what it can hide. We'll see.
Good night, all.
Bill
Case bearing Cadisfly. Those are sand grains cemented together
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This is a Mayfly nymph. Note three cerci. If these were Stoneflies, there would only be two cerci.
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Out of water
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Three Dytiscidae larva
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At one to one.
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An aquarium set up is a good idea, I am going to copy that idea. Some years ago I collected some pond water in a shallow white tray and then transferred each tiny creature to a small container (china spoon) to photograph them. It was very interesting and educative, I must do that again.
Here is one of my old posts on the subject
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-226707-1.html
Well done, Bill. These are new to me and I've not seen Mayflies at this stage before nor know the difference them and others so your post has been quite educational for me.
EnglishBrenda wrote:
An aquarium set up is a good idea, I am going to copy that idea. Some years ago I collected some pond water in a shallow white tray and then transferred each tiny creature to a small container (china spoon) to photograph them. It was very interesting and educative, I must do that again.
Here is one of my old posts on the subject
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-226707-1.htmlI looked back. An ocean away and yet familiar "friends in a drop of water."
Did you ever set up an aquarium?. I have had one for many years. I cycle native fauna thru, so always changing.
FYI of those here, get a 2.5 gal and a sponge filter and air pump. Fill to about three inches from top and keep screened. That set up needs a PINCH OF YARD SOIL. This provides the bacteria to kick start the biologic action of the sponge filter. Let sit a week before stocking. Experiment, you will find a Ballance. Collect plants and animals.
Creatures will feed at the filter (clean by squeezing under cold water, keeps cultures alive), be eaten by another , they in turn eaten. An eco system will develop.
I did this and a lot of insect zookeeping. I was the neighborhood 'oddball' with two young sons and the wierd pets, including a crow. Guess where the kids all hung out. Free babysitting.
Thanks for looking and listening, Brenda.
Bill
thats some you dont see every day,good job!
newtoyou wrote:
I looked back. An ocean away and yet familiar "friends in a drop of water."
Did you ever set up an aquarium?. I have had one for many years. I cycle native fauna thru, so always changing.
FYI of those here, get a 2.5 gal and a sponge filter and air pump. Fill to about three inches from top and keep screened. That set up needs a PINCH OF YARD SOIL. This provides the bacteria to kick start the biologic action of the sponge filter. Let sit a week before stocking. Experiment, you will find a Ballance. Collect plants and animals.
Creatures will feed at the filter (clean by squeezing under cold water, keeps cultures alive), be eaten by another , they in turn eaten. An eco system will develop.
I did this and a lot of insect zookeeping. I was the neighborhood 'oddball' with two young sons and the wierd pets, including a crow. Guess where the kids all hung out. Free babysitting.
Thanks for looking and listening, Brenda.
Bill
I looked back. An ocean away and yet familiar &quo... (
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No Bill, I didn't set up an aquarium but think I will do so using the information you have given so thanks for that.
cadisfly sure earned it's bricklaying badge............good series
Very good! We should get more aquatics around here. Caddisfly cases are a marvel. Years ago when in Arizona I would find a lot of the ones that make a 'snail shell' out of sand grains. Those were amazing works of micro-masonry, as shown here:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/900704 Those seem to occur in briskly flowing streams with rocky and sandy bottoms.
Mark Sturtevant wrote:
Very good! We should get more aquatics around here. Caddisfly cases are a marvel. Years ago when in Arizona I would find a lot of the ones that make a 'snail shell' out of sand grains. Those were amazing works of micro-masonry, as shown here:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/900704 Those seem to occur in briskly flowing streams with rocky and sandy bottoms.
Maryland is rich with many small streams that fit the bill for aquatics.
Isolation has kept polution to a minimum in upper waters. Gravel bed underlying costal plain means gravel bottom and plenty of oxygen.
I monitored many for water quality in 80's for Smithsonian. I collected insects for me.
A stream survey for aquatics would make a good summer project.
A partial list might include:
Dragon and damsel flies. Mayflies, Fish flies, Dobson flies, Caddis flies, Stoneflies, midges and other. Beetles include Carabididae and Omophronidae, Ditiscidae, Hydrophilidae, Haliplidae, Gyrinidae, Dryopidae, and Elmidae.
True bugs are many, and snail's, clams, isopods, other arthropods such as Fishing spiders. AND mosquitoes, and biting flies.
And a final note. Caddisfly larva may include bits of gold, real or fools, in the case. I saw one from the upper Potomac River that had a number of flecks in it.
Bill
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