Ephemera simulans
{{Short description|Species of mayfly}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Brown Drake Mayfly (Ephemera simulans) on a Yellow Rubber Rabbitbrush Seedskadee NWR (14847301213).jpg
| image_caption = Imago on rubber rabbitbrush
| genus = Ephemera
| species = simulans
| authority = Walker, 1853{{cite web |url=https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=101530#null |title=Ephemera simulans Walker, 1853 |website=ITIS |access-date=August 18, 2019}}
}}
File:Ephemera simulans male.jpg
Ephemera simulans is a species of mayfly. It is commonly found throughout the United States. The species is used for fly fishing.
Habitat
The mayfly can be found throughout the United States in the Rockies, Midwest, and in the Great Lakes region. Out of all the mayfly species in the family Ephemeridae, they are the most common in North America.{{cite book|last1=Edmunds|first1=George F. Jr.|last2=Jensen|first2=Steven L.|last3=Berner|first3=Lewis|title=The Mayflies of North and Central America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I03mLF19rjcC&pg=PA284|date=18 November 1976|publisher=U of Minnesota Press|isbn=978-0-8166-5756-8|page=284}} The nymphs of the species burrow and can be found the same time as the Green Drake (Ephemera guttulata) mayflies, which the species acts similar to; if one trout stream has a hatch of E. simulans, there might also be a hatch of E. guttulata. The mayfly hatches annually at Skaneateles Lake, where fly fishermen arrive from Central New York and further to fish at.
Mating
It has been observed that the species have their wings upright after mating, which fish tend to eat while ignoring the mayflies that have outstretched wings. Both hatching and mating occur at night. It hatches from mid-June to mid-July and the nymphs emerge from the sand and silt bottoms of streams where trout are. When the nymphs emerge, they ride on the water until they can fly away to the foliage that is nearby. During this process, the nymphs are easily susceptible to being eaten by trout.{{cite book |last=Pobst |first=Dick |date=1990 |title=Trout Stream Insects |publisher=The Lyons Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/troutstreaminsec00pobs/page/35 35] |isbn=9781558210677 |url=https://archive.org/details/troutstreaminsec00pobs/page/35 }}
Fly fishing
They are used for fly fishing. Artificial nymphs of the species can be used for fishing, including the Wiggle Nymph, Marabou Nymph, and Feather Duster nymph.{{cite book|last=Kirk|first=Don|title=Hatches & Fly Patterns of the Great Smoky Mountains|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G0S8BAAAQBAJ&pg=PT80|date=1 August 2014|publisher=Stackpole Books|isbn=978-0-8117-6036-2|page=80}} When using an artificial fly of its adult stage, the silhouette and presentation are more important than it being the same color.{{cite web |url=https://wiflyfisher.com/brown-drake-mayfly-hatch.asp |title=Brown Drake Mayfly Hatch |website=WiFlyFisher |access-date=August 18, 2019}} It is referred to as Brown Drake, but so is the species Hexagenia atrocaudata.{{cite web |url=https://www.flyfisherman.com/editorial/matching-the-drake-hatch/151722 |title=Matching The Drake Hatch |last=Weamer |first=Paul |date=May 14, 2018 |website=Fly Fisherman |access-date=August 18, 2019}} Trout, bass, perch, rock bass, Atlantic Salmon, and bullheads feed on the mayflies.{{cite web |url=https://www.syracuse.com/outdoors/2013/06/post_51.html |title=Fishing the brown drake hatch on Skaneateles Lake is challenging, but fun |last=Figura |first=David |date=June 28, 2013 |website=Syracuse.com |access-date=August 18, 2019}} They are considered "nationally important on many of the country's best trout streams".
References
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Category:Insects of North America