Ephemeroptera: Baetidae of Gunnison County, ColoradoBaetis flavistriga
Dark Blue-Winged Olive Dun, Dark Gray-Winged Olive Dun, Dark Olive Brown Spinner, Dark blue winged Olive #20-22, Slate Winged Brown QuillMcDunnough 1921
Updated 5 May 2025
TSN 100835
Description
These larvae are distinctive, with dark bands on their tails and kidney shaped pale areas on the dark areas of their terga. They have three tails. The pronotum has two upside down "U-shaped" marks on a pale background.
Notes
This is one of the fuscatus group of Baetis species. Very common in eastern United States, there are scattered populations across the west as well.
Good Links
On this website:
Key to Baetis Nymphs
Introduction to Baetis
Other Websites:
Photos, Map, Museum, DNA - Barcodinglife.org
References
Ball,SL; Hebert,PDN; Burian,SK and Webb,JM 2005 Biological identification of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) using DNA barcodes. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 24 3, 508-524.
B. flavistriga is far away from B. tricaudatus and B. bicaudatus on their phylogenetic tree, occurring on "a long basal branch as the most basal of the Baetidae".
Ide,FP 1937 Descriptions of eastern North American species of baetine mayflies with particular reference to the nymphal stages. Canadian Entomologist 69:219-231. PDF
 
McCafferty,WP; Durfee,RS and Kondratieff,BC 1993 Colorado mayflies (Ephemeroptera): an annotated inventory. Southwestern Naturalist 38 (3) 252-274. PDF
Quoted from page 255: "Morihara and McCafferty (1979b) stated that this species was one of the most abundant and common Baetis species in eastern North America. McCafferty (1990) concluded that the Black Hills of South Dakota represented the westernmost limits of its range, and that it´s distribution in South Dakota was relict in nature. With the confirmation of this species from at least three areas in Colorado, it is becoming clear that it is much more widespread in mountain areas. We therefore expect it to be found in other western states as materials are studied. This must be regarded as a rather special type of mayfly distribution in North America, in that it is found primarily in mountain areas across the continent (Rocky Mountains, Black Hills, Ozark-Ouachita Mountains, and the Appalachians)."
McCafferty WP and MacDonald,JF 1994 New records of Ephemeroptera in Utah, with notes on biogeography. Entomological News 105(4):217-221. PDF
Abstract: "Two species of mayflies, Baetis flavistriga (family Baetidae) and Choroterpes inornata (family Leptophlebiidae) are reported from Utah for the first time. Records are from Capitol Reef National Park and represent known range limits for these species. Evidently neither species has penetrated the Great Basin proper. Notes on distribution, aquatic habitat, and life history of both species are provided."
Quote from pages 217-219: "Baetis flavistriga McDunnough
New Records. Thirty three larvae, Utah, Wayne Co., Pleasant Creek, Capitol Reef National Park, upstream from Sleeping Rainbow Ranch, VIII-3-1993, J. F. MacDonald, deposited in the Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC); 60 larvae and one male adult, Utah, Wayne Co., Capitol Reef National Park, downstream from Sleeping Rainbow Ranch, VIII-4-5-1993, J. F. MacDonald, deposited in PERC.
McCafferty et al. (1993) in their inventory of the Colorado mayflies, discussed the distribution of B. flavistriga. This species demonstrates an unusual mayfly distribution pattern in that it is transcontinental but mainly distributed in mountain ranges. Except for being generally common in the Great Lakes region in the Midwest (Morihara and McCafferty 1979), it is known primarily from the Appalachians in the East (Morihara and McCafferty 1979), the Ozark-Ouachitas (McCafferty and Provonsha 1978), the Black Hills of South Dakota (McCafferty 1990), and the Colorado Rockies (McCafferty et al. 1993). The Utah record may prove, however, to be very near its western range limit.
The Capitol Reef area, while considered part of the Great Basin Province in terms of its flora (Gleason and Cronquist 1964), represents an area that differs physiographically from most of the Great Basin (to the west and northwest) in that it has a sea drainage via the Colorado River system. The Great Basin proper drains to the interior, lacking a sea drainage. This may account for the current absence of some western aquatic species in the Great Basin: Dendritic drainage routes connecting the Great Basin proper with exterior drainage systems are essentially lacking [a few minor connections via diversions across divides for irrigation purposes have occurred in the last century (Hubbs and Miller 1948)], and such routes are necessary for dispersal of some lotic aquatic insects (see e.g., Ross 1967, Ross et al. 1967, Flannagan and Flannagan 1982) just as they are for freshwater fishes in general (see e.g., Miller 1958, Page 1983, Smith 1983). Western aquatic insects, many of which can be assumed to have been present in the Great Basin during recent Pluvial periods, may not have been able to colonize (or recolonize) the Great Basin since the drying of basin lakes and stream connectors some 7,500 to 2,500 years ago (Blackwelder 1948). Such dispersal via drainages would appear especially pertinent in arid regions of the western United States, where considerable overland distances occur between streams and thus can preclude overland flight dispersal by many aquatic insects. We consider many aquatic insects now present in the Great Basin to be Pluvial relicts, much as the Great Basin fishes (Hubbs and Miller 1948). Given its restricted Colorado drainage distribution in Utah, its continental distribution east of Utah, and its apparent absence from northwestern Pacific drainage systems, we hypothesize that B. flavistriga has not colonized the Great Basin either in Pluvial or Postpluvial periods.
Morihara and McCafferty (1979) indicated that larvae of B. flavistriga generally inhabit rocky substrates of streams. Bergman and Hilsenhoff (1978) found populations in Wisconsin to be either univoltine with a prolonged hatching period in the summer, or bivoltine with overlapping cohorts. Samples from Utah were taken from Pleasant Creek where it is relatively clean and cold, devoid of canopy, and ranging from approximately 1.5 to 3.0m in width and 15.0 to 45.0cm in depth. The current is essentially erosional, and substrate is mixed, being primarily made up of pebble, cobble, and some boulders with moderate periphyton growth. Baetis flavistriga larvae were taken on substrates of coarse gravel, pebble, cobble, and boulders. Larval samples consisted of both fully mature individuals, with dark wingpads, and individuals of the same size, but without dark wingpads, and presumably nearly mature. Emergence appeared imminent, and although collecting emphasis with regard to mayflies was on benthic forms, one confirmed adult was taken, and numerous subimagos of Baetis that may have been this species were taken in Malaise traps positioned along the stream."
McCafferty,WP and Provonsha,AV The Mayflies of North America Species List (Version 12Jan2009)
Here is the geographic range and synonyms:
Baetis flavistriga McDunnough, 1921 [CAN:FN,NE,NW;MEX:FS,SW;USA:FN,NE,NW,SE,SW]
* Baetis caurinus Edmunds & Allen, 1957 (syn.)
* Baetis cingulatus McDunnough, 1925 (syn.)
* Baetis levitans McDunnough, 1925 (syn.)
* Baetis nanus McDunnough, 1923 (syn.)
* Baetis ochris Burks, 1953 (syn.)
* Baetis pallidula McDunnough, 1924 (syn.)
* Baetis pallidulus McDunnough, 1924 (syn.)
* Baetis phoebus McDunnough, 1923 (syn.)
* Baetis quebecensis Hubbard, 1974 (syn.)
* Baetis sinuosus Navas, 1924 (syn.)
McDunnough,J 1921 Two new Canadian May-flies (Ephemeridae). Canadian Entomologist 53:117-120.
Original description of B. flavistriga.
McDunnough,J 1923 New Canadian Ephemeridae with notes. Canadian Entomologist 55:39-50.
Discussed on pages 40 and 41:
Ploskey,GR and Brown,AV 1980 Downstream drift of the mayfly Baetis flavistriga as a passive phenonmenon. American Midland Naturalist 104:405-409. PDF
Rowe,L; Hudson,J and Berrill,M 1988 Hatching success of mayfly eggs at low pH. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 45:1649-1652.
Sibley,PK; Kaushik, NK and Kreutzweiser,DP 1991 Impact of a pulse application of permethrin on the macroinvertebrate community of a headwater stream Environmental Pollution 70(1)35-55.
Abstract: "This study evaluated the impact of concentrated pulse (16 ug litre-1) of the insecticide permethrin (emulsifiable concentrate) on the macroinvertebrate community of a northern Ontario headwater stream. Post-treatment drift increased by a factor of 2400 within minutes of the arrival of the insecticide. There was a significant (P < 0·05) reduction in the abundance of invertebrates in most families as far as 260 m below the point of injection in both kick and artificial substrate samples. Greatest impact was observed in the mayflies, Baetis flavistriga, Heptagenia flavescens, and Epeorus sp., the stonefly, Leuctra tenuis, and the caddisfly, Dolophilodes distinctus. Diptera were not significantly reduced. The number of species occurring 100 m from the point of injection was reduced by 47%, but only by 17% at 260 m. There was no change in the per cent composition of functional feeding groups at any point after treatment. Recovery of most invertebrates was complete within 6 weeks of treatment."
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Data Warehouse http://aquatic.biodata.usgs.gov/landing.action(NAWQA) shows this species is present in Gunnison County. Data as of 1Sep2005
Waltz,RD 1995 Baetis ochris, a new synonym of Baetis flavistriga (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). Entomological News 106: 75-76.
Zuellig,RE; Heinold,BD; Kondratieff,BC and Ruiter,DE 2012 Diversity and Distribution of Mayflies (Ephemeroptera), Stoneflies (Plecoptera), and Caddisflies (Trichoptera) of the South Platte River Basin, Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, 1873-2010. U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 606, 257 p. PDF - caution 46MB
Quote from page 19: "Remarks: This widespread North American species generally is associated with montane regions of North America as far west as the Rocky Mountains of Utah with populations in the Great Lakes area (McCafferty and MacDonald, 1994). Larvae often occur in high densities and can co-occur with B. tricaudatus and A. insignificans." The elevation range is 5,000-8,000 feet.
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