Some
Easily Confused Macroinvertebrates
Photos taken from McCafferty's Aquatic Entomology
More complete descriptions available on line:
http://www.iso.gmu.edu/~avia/page1.htm
Mayfly |
Stonefly |
Three Tails |
Two
Tails |
Gills on sides
of abdomen |
No
gills on abdomen |
One set of wing
pads |
Two
sets of wing pads |
Legs stretched
to the sides |
Legs
stretched to the sides |
Six legs |
Six
legs |
|
Caddisfly |
Two
brushy tails, with hooks (usually) |
If
have gills, gills are underneath abdomen |
No
wing pads |
Legs
held in front of body |
Six
legs |
Other notes: Lots of variation: some will be in cases,
some with be fat and fleshy, some thin. Most common one is pictured
above. It is a free-living caddisfly (no case) and will have
three hardened plates. |
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|
Midge Fly |
Black Fly |
Black Fly |
No tails
- have a suction pad instead |
No gills |
No gills |
No wing pads |
No wing
pads |
Proleg held under body |
Proleg
held under body |
One proleg |
One proleg |
Long, thin body - does not thicken at end |
Body thickens
into a rounded abdomen |
Head clearly visible - no projections from head |
Head has
mouth brush |
Tend to "convulse" when moving |
Tend to
attach to surface |
|
|
|
Crane Fly |
No
tails - fingerlike projections instead |
No
gills |
No
wing pads |
No
legs |
Thick,
catterpillar-like body |
Body
often semi-transparent |
For drawing, see #16 on your bug ID sheet |
Beetle Larvae |
No
tails - but gills often pulse in and out |
Gills
are sometimes found on end |
No
wing pads |
Legs
held in front of body usually |
Six
legs |
Notes:
Body is hardened and armored looking. Lots of variation |
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