[Loxiafan]

Hi Jamie,

Great to hear from you on the forum. I'd be willing to help out with 'official' surveys for the reason's I cited above. Will drop you an email with my full contact details.

Cheers,

Lindsay

[Iain Goolager]

I think that the quality of the photography and reference material will be paramount in species identification.

bought 'A pictorial Guide to British Ephemeroptera' from Orvis yesterday as the ID key to the nymphal stages was the best I've seen, then set to work looking to road test it on old photo's.
her's an example;



Iain

[Sandy Nelson]

Brilliant

If we can keep the pictures like that, then our wee guide could end up better than most of the "proper ones"
Time and effort will be the keys

I take it you want to play too, iain?

Sandy

[Iain Goolager]

Hi Sandy,

I think this project is long overdue and would like to contribute in any way I could, only thing is that I can't promise reliability due to family and work commitments that's the only reason that I haven't had responded.

Last season I carried a net along with the camera and attempted to record some of the local fly life - some really good stuff mixed with some total dross but very rewarding. I hope that this will be the case again this coming season coupled with a key to location, date, conditions, etc. And I'm more than happy to share this info.

As I said good photography is key because hind wing clarity was pivotal in the identification process, for me, for upswings.

Iain

[Mike Barrio]

That's fantastic guys, awesome photo Iain

Cheers
Mike

[Richard Tong]

As far as publications for ID'ing our insects are concerned, the very best (endorsed by Staurt Crofts at a talk in Ilkley this season) are produced by the Field Studies Council. I straight away bought the ones on Ephemeroptera,Stoneflies and Caddis flies-they are brilliant. I have been conversing very recently with Oliver Edwards on this matter and here is what he had to say "Richard, do you have the scientific 'Keys' for identification of the various insect Orders? If you haven't, you may want to consider getting them, at least the two dealing with the Ephemeroptera. ( A key to the nymphs of British Ephemeroptera:  A key to the adults of British Ephemeroptera:   From the Freshwater Biological Association).... or 'A Pictorial Guide to British Ephemeroptera' by Macadam & Bennett ( Field Studies Council) This is useful and quite detailed, but not as detailed as the Keys....but contains all we need for splitting..and more!!" So he endorses them too and Stuart held up a variety of books from the likes of Goddard,O'Reilly etc. and basically said that they were nowhere near as good or comprehensive as these publications and I agree.

The text and keys to the latter publication are by Craig Macadam(Riverfly Partnership) with photos by Dr Cyril Bennett. I think that this cost £15 and the Stonefly and Caddis were I think £5 each. The Ephemeroptera one is spiral bound and laminated, so is great for taking into the field, wheras the other two are sort of fold-out but still laminated

Richard

[Sandy Nelson]

I have all the FSC books, further to the conversations i've had with Stuart as well

And as Richard says they are brill, although the caddis nymph and stonefly ones don't have enough photos in them.
The Ephemera and Sedge ones are a superb guide and will go in the bag with no issues.
I also have Ronalds "fly fishers entomology" which is a very old book, but what he does that most of the others don't (except goddard) is he also identifies the terrestrials and midges which the trout eat, anyone who misses those doesn't have a complete guide.
This is echo'd by the original 1931 Don study which identifies the midge and smuts etc, yet the current ADAA calender does not.
I know the trouts diet hasn't changed much in the last 10,000 years so i think the more opinions and input from all the guys on here then the better the information will be

Sandy

[Loxiafan]

This is echo'd by the original 1931 Don study which identifies the midge and smuts etc, yet the current ADAA calender does not.

There is an interesting lliustrated caption in an article by Jeremy Lucas in this months FFandFT (Jan 2012) where he writes that he is noticing that small midge's, rather than upwings, are making up more of river trout's diet. The Don study from 1931 would suggest that this has always been the case, there at least, so it is an interesting comment by a notable and successful competition angler. It might also explain that, whilst upwing fly hatches have clearly declined over the last 50 years, and primarily the last decade according to some writers, the Don population of brown trout remains healthy.

Lindsay

[Loxiafan]

you may want to consider getting them, at least the two dealing with the Ephemeroptera. ( A key to the nymphs of British Ephemeroptera:  A key to the adults of British Ephemeroptera:   From the Freshwater Biological Association).... or 'A Pictorial Guide to British Ephemeroptera' by Macadam & Bennett ( Field Studies Council) This is useful and quite detailed, but not as detailed as the Keys....but contains all we need for splitting..and more!!"

Thanks for that info Richard - I discovered these books last week but wasn't sure if they were too 'specialzed'. Sounds like they would be worth it.

Lindsay