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boychick
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DaveS
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Well as near as I can tell from the pic, I'd say yes, sulpher spinner. But sulpher, is a rather broad based name which cover several species of mayfly. In my experience, any light colored dun that hatches with a slate colored wing is a "Sulpher" regardless of size. Any light colored mayfly that has a light, mottled wing is usually a cahill.
I can't get enough detail from your pic, to go much further, so IMO sulpher it is!
I can't get enough detail from your pic, to go much further, so IMO sulpher it is!
pcray1231
Well-known member
Well, as was said, "sulphur" is a rather broad and undefined category.
The prime sulpher hatch in PA, the ones that everyone agrees are "sulphurs" are 2 different species, both of the Ephemerella genus (dorothea and invaria). Invaria are the larger ones (14-16) that come a little earlier, and dorothea are the smaller (16-18) that come later in May. Both species, the entire genus actually, has 3 tails, not 2. So, assuming your bug is complete (has not lost a tail), then it is not one of those two.
That said, there are whole bunch of other yellowish-orange bugs which some people call sulphers. They are not wrong, there is no entity which approves common names, so there is no right or wrong when speaking common names. But those other bugs all have other common names as well, so what they are called will depend on who you talk to! Give me a bit and I'll make an attempt at a more exact ID.
The prime sulpher hatch in PA, the ones that everyone agrees are "sulphurs" are 2 different species, both of the Ephemerella genus (dorothea and invaria). Invaria are the larger ones (14-16) that come a little earlier, and dorothea are the smaller (16-18) that come later in May. Both species, the entire genus actually, has 3 tails, not 2. So, assuming your bug is complete (has not lost a tail), then it is not one of those two.
That said, there are whole bunch of other yellowish-orange bugs which some people call sulphers. They are not wrong, there is no entity which approves common names, so there is no right or wrong when speaking common names. But those other bugs all have other common names as well, so what they are called will depend on who you talk to! Give me a bit and I'll make an attempt at a more exact ID.
pcray1231
Well-known member
I can't tell whether there's a sizable hind wing there, so that makes narrowing it down difficult. The followng are merely guesses.
Options:
Epeorus genus, most likely vitreus species. Often called Pink Lady's, Little Maryatts, or sulphurs. Huge range in color, from yellowish to brownish to hot pink. One thing to keep in mind is that these things molt into duns on the bottom, not at the surface. So floating nymphs are worthless, but emergers may be useful.
the other options I'm seeing are in the batidae family, which is huge. The following genera would fit.
Centroptilum genus. Several species, all of them match colors and the characteristics I see in yours. Also helpful is that unlike the other options, they are a morning hatch. But they're typically small, like an 18ish, and I can't tell size from your bug. These would be called "tiny sulphurs" or "BWO".
Procleon genus - see centroptilum, they are closely related.
Baetis - it's huge genus with dozens of species that I couldn't separate very well. Time of year, and time of day varies by species. Many are yellowish in color. The most common name for the entire genus is "BWO"
Options:
Epeorus genus, most likely vitreus species. Often called Pink Lady's, Little Maryatts, or sulphurs. Huge range in color, from yellowish to brownish to hot pink. One thing to keep in mind is that these things molt into duns on the bottom, not at the surface. So floating nymphs are worthless, but emergers may be useful.
the other options I'm seeing are in the batidae family, which is huge. The following genera would fit.
Centroptilum genus. Several species, all of them match colors and the characteristics I see in yours. Also helpful is that unlike the other options, they are a morning hatch. But they're typically small, like an 18ish, and I can't tell size from your bug. These would be called "tiny sulphurs" or "BWO".
Procleon genus - see centroptilum, they are closely related.
Baetis - it's huge genus with dozens of species that I couldn't separate very well. Time of year, and time of day varies by species. Many are yellowish in color. The most common name for the entire genus is "BWO"
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boychick
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pcray1231
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If absent or minute hind wings is real, then it can't be eporeous and you are almost certainly dealing with something in the baetidae family. Not much else has clear wings, absent or tiny hind wings, and 2 tails.
The problem (or perhaps its helpful for ID) is the size, very few in that family are larger mayflies.
Diphetor or Baetis I'd say.
But even then it's an extraordinarily large individual. It's probably more likely that we're wrong on one of the ID features. Like, maybe it lost a tail. Or there is a large hind wing and we're just not seeing it in the picture.
I'm guessing epeorus vitreus, and we just aren't seeing the wing. Anyone else wanna take a shot at it?
The problem (or perhaps its helpful for ID) is the size, very few in that family are larger mayflies.
Diphetor or Baetis I'd say.
But even then it's an extraordinarily large individual. It's probably more likely that we're wrong on one of the ID features. Like, maybe it lost a tail. Or there is a large hind wing and we're just not seeing it in the picture.
I'm guessing epeorus vitreus, and we just aren't seeing the wing. Anyone else wanna take a shot at it?
