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MarkPAugust 25th, 2008, 8:20 am
Cary, Il.

Posts: 4		Approximately #18
Black body
3 tails with stripes

???
I love fly fishing and fly tying more than a fat kid likes cake...
TroutnutAugust 25th, 2008, 9:58 am
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2737		Yup, sounds like a mayfly.

(If you want more specifics, we need more details!)
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
TaxonAugust 25th, 2008, 12:50 pm
Site Editor
Royse City, TX

Posts: 1350		Mark-

To expand on Jason's comment:

Was it a nymph or a winged mayfly?
If winged, was it a dun (dull wings) or a spinner (hyaline wings)?
If winged, were the wings plain, or were the marked or mottled?
What was the date of observation?
What was the state or province of observation?
What was the predominant color of the tails?
What was the color of the tail joinings that resulted in your describing them as striped?
Was the middle tail either shorter or longer than the outer tails?

Without a photo, these are the kind of details you would need to provide in order to even get a reasonable guess as to ID.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
MarkPAugust 26th, 2008, 10:59 am
Cary, Il.

Posts: 4		Sorry guys, I've got to slow down when posting:

Mayfly spinner
Black or very dark brown body/approx. size 18
3 tails - no stripes
Legs have brown banding/stripes.
Small hind wing behind main wing(s).

Location: Western Massachusetts.

A friend of mine saw these bugs but couldn't I.D. them.

Mark
I love fly fishing and fly tying more than a fat kid likes cake...
TaxonAugust 26th, 2008, 12:57 pm
Site Editor
Royse City, TX

Posts: 1350		Mark-

Assuming it was observed in August, I believe the greatest likelihood would be Attenella attenuata. For a detailed description of this mayfly, you can go to Mayfly Species Detail Query, key attenuata into the Taxon box, and click the Submit Query button.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com

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