Title
Net-winged midges (Diptera: Blephariceridae): a food resource for Brook Trout in montane streams
Campus Units
Entomology
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
4-2000
Journal or Book Title
Pan-Pacific Entomologist
Volume
76
Issue
2
First Page
87
Last Page
94
Abstract
We report on the importance of net-winged midges (Diptera: Blephariceridae) in the diet of three native populations of brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill). One population, studied mostly during 1992 and 1993, was from the Rapidan River, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. The other populations, studied in 1993 and 1994, were from Trail Creek and North Fork Rock Creek, both subalpine streams in Medicine Bow National Forest, Snowy Mountains, Wyoming, Rapidan River samples contained 4 I 1 larvae and adults, mostly of Blepharicera appalachiae Hogue & Georgian, recovered from 121 trout. During the study period, there were marked shifts in the relative consumption of larvae to aduIt Bl. appalachiae, then to Bl. similans Johannsen. These shif ts presum ably reflect temporal patterns of blepharicerid activity and perhaps changes in trout predatory behavior (benthic to surface feeding). At Wyoming streams, fourth-instar larvae and adults of the net-winged midge, Agathon elegantulizs von Roder, were recovered from 34 trout. Relative to the Rapidan population, western trout populations consumed lower numbers of blepharicerids. Because net-winged midges are moderately large flies that can be seasonally abundant in many streams, we posit that blepharicerids can be a significant component of trout diets.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Copyright Owner
Pacific Coast Entomological Society
Copyright Date
2000
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Courtney, Gregory W. and Duffield, Richard M., "Net-winged midges (Diptera: Blephariceridae): a food resource for Brook Trout in montane streams" (2000). Entomology Publications. 568.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ent_pubs/568
Comments
This article is published as Courtney, G.W. & R.M. Duffield. 2000. Net-winged midges (Diptera: Blephariceridae): a food resource for Brook Trout in montane streams. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 76: 87-94.