Fishing is one of the oldest human activities. And if at first prehistoric man, when catching fish for food, used a spear and a harpoon, then later, in an attempt to catch smaller specimens, he had to learn to lure his future prey.
Among the first baits there could be a mayfly, one of the oldest inhabitants of our planet.
Features and unusualness of the species
The mayfly is a winged insect that, according to paleontological finds, is more than 400 million years old.
Today, according to various sources, almost 2,000 to 3,300 species are known, of which more than 150 are fossils. About 250 species have been recorded in Russia, approximately 100 of them in the European part of the country. The largest species in Russia is the common mayfly.
The common mayfly is a member of the true mayfly family. Many researchers consider these insects to be the most interesting on the planet. The life of this ephemeral creature, which in appearance resembles a small dragonfly, lasts only one day, during which the mayfly manages to fulfill its main mission - to continue the race, in order to then beautifully and easily leave this world.
The adult individual completely lacks digestive organs. The alimentary canal functions as an air bladder, allowing the mayfly to soar through the air with ease and grace. Insects have another unique property - the molting of an already fledged individual. Only after this the mayfly becomes sexually mature.
Appearance
Nutrition
The feeding peculiarity of cicadas is such that in many countries they are considered parasitic insects. Vineyards, garden plants and trees suffer from their invasions. Adult cicadas damage stems, branches, and leaves with their proboscis, extracting the desired juice from them.
Having been saturated, they are removed, and life-giving moisture continues to flow from the “wound,” gradually turning into manna - a sticky, sweetish substance (medicinal resin). Cicada larvae living in the soil damage the roots as they suck out the liquid from them. The degree of their danger to agricultural crops has not yet been established.
Because of their powerful mouthparts, cicadas can “suck out” and damage even plant tissue located deep inside. As a result, after such feeding, crops may die. In agricultural areas where there are many cicadas, farmers often notice a drop in yield. Both larvae and adults can be dangerous.
Appearance
Mayfly larvae are small, about 20 mm long, with a long abdomen, on the last segment of which there are three tail filaments that act as a fin. On the sides there are gill leaves. The insect's mouthparts are well developed and belong to the gnawing type. The wing rudiments are clearly marked. Three pairs of limbs are well adapted for digging.
A characteristic feature of the mayfly butterfly is three thin, long tail filaments at the end of the abdomen. On the head of the one-day butterfly there are thin antennae and rather large eyes. In males, each eye is divided into two parts. The result is four organs of vision, two of which look up and two look to the sides. This helps the insect in performing its mating functions.
The mayfly has four thin and transparent membranous wings. The hind ones are always much smaller than the front ones, and sometimes are completely absent. The length of the front wings corresponds to the size of the body. Their span reaches 45 mm. Three pairs of thin legs practically do not function.
Maggot
Maggot (grossweed) is the larva of the blue blowfly. Usually the fishermen hatch the larvae themselves. In the warm season, a piece of meat or fish is hung near the trash heap. The flies will lay eggs in the meat, and after a few days the larvae will emerge - cream-colored worms that quickly reach a size of 1 cm or more. All carp fish take maggots.
Maggot easily crawls out of any jar or box, so it is safest to store it in a flat glass bottle with a tightly screwed plastic cap in which several small holes are made with a needle.
Maggot is very tenacious. At a temperature of 8-10° it does not spoil for two weeks or even more. Of course, he needs to be fed. Some anglers put a small fish in a bottle with maggots. This should not be done: the bottle will smell bad and the larvae will be dirty all the time.
It is better to feed maggots with cottage cheese - it makes the maggots very white and clean.
With sufficient nutrition, maggots reach a size of one and a half centimeters or more, become thick and elastic and, of course, appear attractive to fish.
The maggot stays on the hook for a very long time and reliably - the fish cannot pick it off with impunity. A hook is usually used to pierce the thick part of the larva, less often it is put on like a worm.
The point of the hook must stick out, otherwise there will be a lot of empty hooks.
In many cases, one larva is enough to catch several fish.
Features of reproduction
The reproduction of mayfly butterflies is preceded by their mass flight with swarming of insects, during which meetings of the sexes occur. At the same time, the females, quickly flapping their wings, rise up and then, freezing, begin to fall down. An approaching male fertilizes her and dies. Females lay eggs directly into the water, and clutch sizes can vary greatly.
Larva
Mayfly development
First, first instar larvae emerge from the eggs. The development of the offspring occurs over two years. After each regular molt, of which there are up to forty, the larvae become increasingly closer in appearance to the adult individual.
The penultimate phase—subimago—occurs on land. The insect still does not fly well. There is quite a lot of pubescence on the wings, making them matte. A few hours later, the final moult occurs, as a result of which an adult, sexually mature mayfly comes into the world.
What do mayfly larvae eat?
According to their way of life, the larvae belong to burrowing forms, breaking through impressive passages in the muddy bottom or clayey banks of rivers. Aquatic invertebrates trapped in such a labyrinth become prey for small predators. In addition, mayfly larvae feed on all sorts of decaying debris.
The further fate of the larvae
In the Great Lakes region of northern America, there are years when trucks haul away swarms of insects from city streets, covering roads and driveways in large layers, making them incredibly slippery. Having completed the mating dance, the adult insect dies, but the eggs that fall into the water are just beginning their life cycle. They have an excellent mechanism to help them survive. Each egg is equipped with thin threads that unfurl the moment it first touches water. Such threads have adhesive areas, thanks to which the egg can be held at the bottom of the reservoir.
Mayfly larvae often become victims of dragonfly larvae. This predatory insect not only eats its own kind, but also preys on tadpoles and fry. There are plenty of enemies in the life of mayflies, so not all of them complete the full life cycle.
Finding and catching mayflies
A clayey-silt bottom combined with running water is the most suitable habitat for the larvae. To find out where the mayfly is, you need to scoop up and disassemble the bottom silt. The presence of insects in the coastal zone is also indicated by numerous openings - larval passages.
To search for and catch mayfly larvae, fishermen use a special scoop made of steel mesh with a cell diameter of up to 5 mm, fixed on a long pole. Sometimes, if the depth of the river and the bank allow, you can do without a pole.
In high water, a flushing bucket made of metal mesh is more suitable. The bottom soil collected by it rises to the shore. After washing it, it is not difficult to select the larvae: when disturbed, they actively move, finally giving themselves away.
A butterfly net is perfect for catching insects circling above the water. At night, insects often fly towards the fire and swarm in large clusters around the fire. It happens that they fly so close that their wings burn. Butterflies fall to the ground, and collecting them is not difficult.
Lifestyle
The larva of the mayfly butterfly spends its entire life in water. It’s hard to imagine, but in two to three years of underwater life, the creature molts up to forty times, which is a complete record for insects. For example, butterfly caterpillars molt five times. A special feature of mayflies is the fact that they molt after they acquire wings. A winged, but not sexually mature creature leaves the water. Then another molt occurs, and a mature insect is born, which immediately sets off on a mating flight.
All varieties of mayflies fly out overnight and very quickly. One day, on a quiet evening, a whole myriad of insects can be seen above the surface of the water. Their number is so great that a cloud of these creatures can spread over hundreds of meters. There are even cases when cars stall in such a concentration of mayflies because their radiators become clogged with insects.
The creatures that die after the mating dance are excellent food for fish. Fishermen use insects as bait when fishing.
Features of fishing for mayfly
Mayfly fishing, like any fishing, is a real art. When fishing with a butterfly, it is better to use a Bolognese rod without a float and a weight, as well as a fly rod, lowering the bait downstream.
It is better to fish with a larva using the wire. The nozzle is cast so that it is slightly above the bottom. The line must be taut at all times. In this case, it is better to take a 7-meter fly fishing rod with a sports float.
Fishing
The dead mayfly butterfly is used for fishing as an additive to bait.
Analysis of the poem “Night” by Pasternak
Among all the poems of Boris Pasternak, the work “Night” stands apart. It was written in 1957 and belongs to the late work of the poet. An unusual space for his lyrics was chosen - a world torn apart by progress, and the fragmentation of which the author is trying to restore. Most likely, the creation of this work was influenced by the work of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
At the very beginning, it seems that Pasternak is talking about simple, everyday things - about people who are forced or voluntarily awake in the night. It combines both night work and night entertainment. The lyrical hero is represented by a pilot who observes the world from above, rising above the planes - into outer space.
Completely different people are mentioned in one way or another - stokers, idle revelers, stokers, artists. You can almost hear the sound of bars, trains, and stations. The night world is engulfed in some kind of special fire, invisible to the eye in the light of day. Night in culture has its own mystical meaning, meaning both the arrival of inspiration and the time of awakening of otherworldly forces.
The poet seems to rise above himself, above the world, observing it from a height not even of flight - of cosmic bodies. Even the stars look at the restless Earth, which does not fall asleep completely even at night. Through this flight, the theme of power and strength that those very distant Mars and Venus have is conveyed, for they have capabilities that are inaccessible to an ordinary person. Likewise, the creator has the ability to create new worlds and spaces.
However, the main motive of the work can be traced only towards its end.
An artist is obliged to create at any time of the day; sleep for him is an unaffordable luxury, during which he may miss something important. If the sky for a pilot is a canvas on which he draws patterns of flight, then for an artist it is a canvas for patterns of thought.
The work is written in iambic trimeter, which is rare for Boris Pasternak, with a two-syllable line with stress on the 2nd syllable. The rhyme throughout the poem is cross, predominantly masculine. The genre is mixed - meditative lyrics and elegy.
Such literary devices are used as epithets (“night bars”, “a terrible lurch”, “sleeping world”), personification (“celestial bodies are wandering huddled together”, “Venus or Mars are looking”), metaphors (“becoming a cross on fabric”, “continents are burning”, “hostage to eternity”), hyperbole (“limitless spaces”), repeated anaphora.
Instead of an afterword
Such amazing little creatures as mayflies have a fairly long period of underwater existence and a very short and rapid life in the adult stage. Their bright but short flight sometimes seems fabulous and ephemeral.
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In today’s article I wanted to talk a little about entomology, but more precisely about what a fly fisherman needs to know about the insects that live in the area in which he is going to fish.
Many of you will say why do I need this, all the flies that imitate insects are already known, you can just take the right fly and go fishing. Unfortunately, if you don’t know or understand what the fish is currently feeding on and what insect it prefers now, your fishing may not be successful.
A fly fisherman certainly doesn't have to become an entomologist, but you do need to acquire a basic knowledge of insects.
First, let's look at what stages of development insects have; these stages are usually called metamorphosis or transformation.
As can be seen from the above diagram, the insects that we will talk about have different stages of development, and each stage has a different duration. The form of an insect at the stages of transformation is very different from adult insects in appearance. This fact applies more to insects with a full cycle of transformation, for example: butterflies, beetles, caddis flies, and flies.
Insects that do not have a complete transformation cycle are characterized by the fact that one form gradually transforms into another. The larvae, hatched from eggs, sometimes similar and sometimes different from the adult insect, do not pupate, but only molt.
After each new molt, the larva becomes more and more similar to an adult insect. It is these larvae that are of greatest interest to fly fishermen and are called nymphs or naiads.
Imitation of the mayfly nymph has become widespread among fly fishermen. Today we will talk about this insect.
Mayflies (Latin: Ephemeroptera) which means one-day or lasting no more than a day. At the moment, there are more than three thousand species of mayflies, which are distributed throughout the world with rare exceptions. Some of the diversity of these insects lives on the territory of Russia. Of course, I won’t list them; no one will remember anyway, and there’s no point in doing so. The main thing for you is to find out what specific species lives in the area where you are going to fish.
In the future I will talk about mayflies as a general average insect. As I already said, mayflies are insects with incomplete metamorphosis, and the first stage is the egg, which interests us little since it is not food for fish.
But we are especially interested in nymphs (larvae). First, let's look at the general characteristics of all mayfly nymphs.
The mayfly larva has a length of 6-30 mm excluding the tail, a relatively long abdomen and a short chest with wing rudiments. The nymph also has a clearly defined head with large eyes. The abdomen consists of 10 segments on the sides of which there are tracheal gills - tergalia.
The legs of the larva are well developed and are able to press against the body; due to this, the larva swims very well, making wave-like movements with its abdomen and using its tail as a horizontal fin.
The ability to swim, moving the abdomen up and down, and not left and right, is a distinctive feature of mayfly larvae from dragonfly larvae and stonefly larvae.
Mayfly larvae actively feed, unlike the imago and subimago stages, which do not feed at all. The larvae feed on organic debris and small algae; some species are predators and feed on ciliates and other small animals.
Mayfly larvae are an indicator of clean water and are very sensitive to the presence of chemical compounds in water.
According to their lifestyle, all mayfly larvae are divided into four types:
- FREE-FLOATING Nymphs (swimming nymphs)
They live mainly in calm waters between vegetation. They have an elongated cylindrical body and are able to swim well. The head is small, there may be two or three tail appendages. The size of the larvae is from 6 to 20 mm. Almost the entire group of this type is present in Russia.
- burrowing or burrowing nymphs
They live in stagnant or weakly flowing waters, with sandy and silty soil. They live in burrows dug in the ground and spend almost their entire lives in these burrows. Such nymphs have massive jaws and powerful legs, with which they dig the soil. They have three tail appendages. Sizes from 8 to 30 mm. This group includes “True Mayflies” (Ephemeridae), “Coastal Mayflies” (Polymitarcyidae), “River Mayflies” (Potamantidae). All three families are represented in Russia.
- Clinging or sticking nymphs (dinger)
They live in fast-flowing waters. The body is flat and not as long as that of previous nymphs. Adapted to cling to rocks in fast flowing water. There are three caudal appendages. Body length is from 6 to 16 mm. This group includes mayflies of the family “Seven-day mayflies” (Heptagem'idea).
- Crawler nymphs
They most often live in weakly flowing or standing waters. Such nymphs do not swim, but crawl through algae or sit on rocks. But such larvae are still similar to free-swimming nymphs. The body of such a larva is less elongated relative to actively swimming larvae. There are three caudal appendages. The length of the larvae is from 6 to 16 mm.
While on a body of water, it is advisable for a fly fisherman to determine whether a larva belongs to one group or another. The older the larva, the easier it is to determine its identity. The age of the larvae can be determined by the color of the wing primordia; in adult larvae ready for transformation into subimago, the wing primordia are dark.
Depending on the type of mayfly, their larvae can live in water from one to three or four years. During this time, the larva can molt up to 25 times. And so, when the time comes, the larva rushes upward, to the surface of the water, onto coastal plants or stones, to molt for the last time and turn into a subimago. At the moment, the larvae are especially vulnerable.
Flies that imitate this stage of insect development are called emergers. This is a purely fly fishing term and you will not find such a name in entomology. Flies of this type are very catchy at a certain moment.
Some larvae, having reached the surface of the water, die without throwing off the chitinous layer, and are carried away by the current of water. Such dead larvae also attract fish and, accordingly, there are flies that imitate such dead larvae.
The subimago stage of the mayfly has the English name Dun. Accordingly, the names of flies that imitate this stage contain this word, for example, Olive Dun, Sparkle Dun.
Sometimes this name is also found in imitation of the imago stage, this is due to the fact that the imago and subimago sometimes do not differ much in external characteristics. The subimago is an immature mayfly that can often fly as an adult.
The lifespan of adult mayflies ranges from several hours to ten days, depending on the species. The emergence of adult mayflies usually occurs en masse, and after mating, the males die immediately, and the females rush to the water to lay eggs.
It is worth noting that the emergence of mayflies does not always occur en masse and may not be noticed. Not numerous, that is, the rare emergence of single mayflies is of little interest to the fish.
That's all for now, I did not describe in great detail each stage of mayfly development, but simply wanted to explain the general development cycle of this insect, and how important it is for fly fishermen to understand this.
You can find more detailed information on the Internet, but first you should determine what types of mayflies live in your reservoirs and study them in more detail. And of course, it is important to trace this development on the reservoir.
If you offer flies to the fish that do not correspond to the stage in which the insect is at the moment, you will most likely fail in fishing.
In the end, I would like to note that, being an attractive insect for fish, the mayfly is not always the main food for fish in a certain body of water. And when a fly fisherman arrives at a reservoir, he needs to determine on the spot the main diet of the fish.
This can often be done by catching the first specimen of fish and opening the belly to see what its stomach is filled with. In this case, you will be able to determine exactly what the fish is feeding on at the moment, and it will not always be mayfly. We will talk about other insects that are food for fish in the following articles. If anyone is interested in this topic, I can provide links to more detailed material, please contact me.
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Mayflies are small insects that live near bodies of water and have an elongated body with thin transparent mesh wings and two or three tail filaments. There are over three thousand varieties around the world.
Mayfly larvae, unlike adults, live only in water, so they have tracheal-branch breathing. The shape of the gills, which extract dissolved oxygen from the water, resembles thin round plates, sometimes covered with fringe. They are located on both sides of the abdomen, and in some representatives of other groups the tracheal gills are located on other parts of the body. For example, in the stonefly they are located on the ventral surface and chest, and in the Jolia larva on the abdomen and head.
One mayfly larva has seven pairs of tracheal gills, six of which are in continuous movement, which can be seen with the naked eye, and one remains motionless. Thus, they create a flow of water to obtain a new portion of oxygen. The frequency of movement depends on the oxygen saturation of the water. If it is not enough, the movements become more frequent and sharper.
Mayflies (Ephemeroptera).
The respiratory system of dragonflies is somewhat different from mayfly larvae. And it's about the intestinal gills. The intestine, like a water pump, draws in and pushes out water, creating respiration. In addition, this process helps them in movement.
A winged specimen of a mayfly.
The lifespan of mayfly larvae ranges from two to three years. During her life, she sheds her old skin and puts on a new one up to thirty times, thereby gradually changing her appearance. The diet of the larvae is very varied. They can consume both plant substances and small insects and even weakened ones of their own kind. Not infrequently, the larvae themselves turn out to be food for other insects, fish and amphibians. Dragonfly larvae often like to eat them. Thanks to their brownish color, they camouflage themselves at the bottom of reservoirs and suddenly attack prey that approaches closely.
Mayfly larvae develop in water.
The body of a mature mayfly does not require nutrition, because its mouth parts are not at all developed. And instead of intestines, she has a solid air bubble, which helps her flutter in the air with ease. Unlike larvae, the life of an adult mayfly is very short. Just a few hours is enough for the mayfly to perform the “mating dance” and lay offspring. On a summer evening, when the sun leaves the sky near a pond, you can watch this fascinating dance of “birth and death.”
The mayfly larva prefers clean waters.
A rapid rise up and a smooth fall down - these movements of males attract females and they mate. After mating, the mayflies die, but first the female lays eggs in the water. The whole point of her short life is reproduction.
The hatched larvae, unlike their defenseless parents, are highly adaptable to life. When touching water, mayfly eggs unfurl special long threads. With their help, they cling to stones and vegetation at the bottom of reservoirs.
Dead mayfly larvae create dangerous driving conditions, causing accidents.
Mayfly larvae usually live in clean or slightly polluted water bodies. It is impossible to see it in lakes polluted by industrial wastewater.
The abundance of these insects can be noted on the Great Lakes, which are located in North America. Sometimes the surfaces of city roads are littered with dead mayfly bodies, thereby creating inconvenience for ground transport. After all, the road surface becomes slippery, like during icy conditions.
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Characteristics
The stick insect is a master of disguise and makeup
. To avoid becoming prey, he acquired many defense mechanisms. They have an amazing feature: the shape of their body resembles tree branches or leaves. Most of the time it hangs on a branch. By completely merging with the plant, the stick insect becomes invisible. It can be mistaken for a thin twig, leaf or twig.
They are active mainly at night. The day is spent in a frozen state, firmly clinging to the branches. Suction cups on the tips of the legs allow you to hang even upside down. The exoskeleton is remarkably similar to the bark. And the joints imitate knots on branches
. The insect eats the entire leaf, leaving not a single piece that could give away its location.
They are characterized by the phenomenon of catalepsy - imaginary death. When in danger, he literally dies. And he won’t get out of his stupor for anything in the world. Even if you bend it like a branch. Frozen in such an awkward position, the stick insect will not react even if its wing or leg is torn off, which it can grow back during the next molt. And when the threat cannot be overcome, the stick insects stand on their long hind legs and raise their tail, imitating a scorpion. And if such a demonstration of strength does not frighten the enemies, then the males release their protective liquid, with a characteristic unpleasant odor reminiscent of peanut butter.
If a stick insect moves, it is never in a hurry. Moves slightly swaying as it goes. So, he doesn't look like an insect. This is how a thin blade of grass sways in the wind. Usually stick insects crawl upward. It's not comfortable down there. It's dark and there are predators.
Stick insects are prey for birds
. The bird sits on a branch for a long time, looking for an insect among the branches and foliage. Waiting for him to move at least a little. As soon as the stick insect performs any action, the bird will grab it with its beak.
