Amateur Entomology

[JackM]

I was thinking of becoming an amateur entomologist this season by capturing both adult and nymph stages of bugs on some of my favorite streams. I have seen bugs in liquid in fly shops and was wondering what the liquid is that is used.

I would like something that is clear and won't discolor the fly or nymph. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge doing this? What tips can you offer?

 

[Padraic]

The liquid they use is alcohol, but that does discolor the nymph. Specifically, it turns everything black.

I've often wondered whether using epoxy would be useful. You'd be trapping the bug in amber, but the epoxy might turn white or trap air bubbles making it useless.

Jonas had some big stonefly nymphs at his shop this past year. They were the nymphs of the giant black stones that hatch overnight at the same time the Green Drake is coming off. So he put the nymphs in the alcohal and forgot about them for about two hours. And he figured they had to be dead by then. So he picked them up and took a look at them to see how they were preserved. They started twitching around like something from the movie ALIEN. He just about sreamed. I wish I could've seen it. :-D

 

[skeeter]

Macroinvertebrate stream sampling has taken leaps from just more of an interest (science education, hobby) to a regulatory tool for a number of state agencies. That said there is a boat load of information out there. This site here gives you an idea of what all is involved in a benthic survey; this survey is almost similar to what is expected from a benthic survey for a state agency.(www.clallam.net/streamkeepers/assets/applets/Benthic.pdf)
If you’re looking for some kick nets and alcohol, forestry-suppliers.com has moderately priced equipment. Once again there is a lot of information out there and a number of watershed organizations that would love to get involved.
Also if you plan to do it in PA you have to go through this process:
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/education/collinfo.htm
Hope this helps!!

 

[Gone4Day]

You could use formaldehyde, embed them in acrylic or freeze-dry them. I think a collection of little acrylic paper weights with bugs in them would be pretty cool and not nearly as messy as the other two in the long run.

 

[JackM]

skeeter wrote:
Also if you plan to do it in PA you have to go through this process:
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/education/collinfo.htm
Hope this helps!!

Thanks for this info.

Prosecutor: Officer, what did you see next?
WCO: He was picking mayflies off his sleeve and placing them in a baby food jar filled with a clear liquid.

Prosecutor: Did you confront him about this?
WCO: Yes I did. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "collecting bugs." I then asked if he had a permit to do so and he just started laughing uncontrollably....

 

[littlejuniata]

Now you just need to switch to dry fly fishing, you will have more time to learn about the bugs, it is a lotta fun!

 

[Chaz]

For some reason I remember someone, maybe Greg Hoover, saying that they use male nymphs to identify mayflies. Mayfly nymphs are very difficult to identify at the species level, they usually only identify them to the genus level because of this. One thing to keep in mind is to mark down where in the stream that you collect the samples, this will be very helpful in identifying mayfly nymphs.
I don't have much experience collecting the other aquatic organisms, but I've been on many fishing trip with Don Douple when he collected samples of mayfly nymphs, duns, and spinners. One time while with my girlfriend my fishing buddy and I were collecting samples of bugs after dark in the headlights of my truck, we were laughing and having a grand time, while she thought we'd lost it, I told her no I lost it long ago. :-D

 

[sandfly]

I studied under Ernie Schreibert, I use Witch hazel for them now..The insects dont discolor...now i try to use the digatal more then they are saved on the computer..

 

[Padraic]

Your fishing license allows you to collect up to 50 specimens of any type of insect. Collecting larger numbers requires a seperate license.

 

[troutbert]

I've used isopropyl rubbing alcohol that you get at the drugstore with good results. Another thing you can do with adult insects mayflies is just put them in a container and put them in the freezer. Not in any liquid. It just sort of "freeze dries" them. When you want to tie a Green Drake and refer to the natural, you just take it out of the freezer and it's more convenient than trying to pull a soggy insect out of the alcohol.

I've gotten away from doing this stuff though. There are some books out with very good photos of the insects. And sometimes I'll just bring an insect home from fishing, tie a fly to imitate it, but not keep the insect, just to avoid accumulating too much clutter.

 

[ryanh]

Jack,
An acetone and water mix is what we used at PSU.

 

[JackM]

Any idea of the ratio?

 

[tomgamber]

http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/site_main.htm?docid=10141&page=7

Call me when you're ready, Jack. I'll bring some kool-ade and cut up fruit...

 

[sandfly]

Digatal camera green drake...