Hi', North C-A, Matt got it right. I would add that in the month of May, there used to be a virtual explosion of aquatic insects on our more fertile Cumbrian rivers, and last year saw an improvement.
The most important of the early spring flies is Large Dark Olive, which usually has emergence peaks in March-April, and again in Sept-Oct, but produces a few generations, and has been recorded morewidely than any other up-winged fly, and in every month of the year. As Matt said, Medium Olive peaks in May-June, again in August-Sept, and could be seen at odd times in between. Pale Watery and the other little yellow beauty, Small Spurwing have similar flight periods, covering the period from May-Nov, between them.
Mayfly is a late spring/summer species, peaking May-June in England, but later north of the Border. We get odd stragglers in July, even August.
Iron Blue Dun showed a bit of a resurgence in the Eden system last year, and has a flight period from May to Sept, usually, but seasons for all our flies are subjest to a little extension, depending on weather.
Small Dark Olive in our area last from about May until Aug-Sept.
Caenis, 'Fisherman's Curse', are mainly summer flies for us, as are Yellow May Duns. I like to think of May as the month of the yellow flies and the black flies, because two of the small stoneflies, Yellow Sally and Small Yellow S, both of which showed slightly improved hatches last year, appear from May on into the summer. They, and Yellow May Dun, are real sun-lovers. The big black terrestrial, Hawthorn, is with us late April- May, has a short season of a week or two, but its smaller relative, Black Gnat is with us all summer, and can be pretty important at times.
Lake Olives can provide good sport on still waters at times, and their season is about May to August for us. We see Claret Dun and Sepia Dun, but not in quantity, in fact their family, the Leptophlebidae is not generally of great importance in our area. Their season is generally spring to high summer.
There are a lot more upwinged flies, but I think I have covered the most important.
The caddis family is huge. In April, as already mentioned, Grannoms hatch, for a short while, then Sand Fly, four species, kick in and see the trout season out. They are the adults of the caseless larvae known as 'Rhyacs' the Rhyacophilidae. From May onwards, more and more sedge (caddis) species join the throng. We can't copy them all, so we opt for a few basic patterns in grey, beige, brown, black, game red, cinnamon for general colouring. So many have patterned wings, which is why partridge, grouse and woodcock hackles and wing slips are so important in fly tying.
I have just scratched the surface here, not even mentioned 400- odd midge species, or the vast numbers of land flies and beetles, or the dragonfly and damsel families.
When I got more interested in flies, I bought 'Trout Fly Recognition' by John Goddard about 1970. It was a good start, but there are now far more publications available. You should be able to find what you need on E-bay.
It all sounds complicated at first, but you don't have to be a bug hunter to recognise the more important angler's flies. Sorry it took so long. Best advice
is probably go for general purpose river patterns, and specialise more as you discover the demands of your water. TerryC
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