SMALL WINTER STONEFLY

Judy Li

Latin name: Mesocapnia projecta

Mesocapnia projecta is a small “winter” stonefly that emerges from streams in fall, not winter. Larvae live beneath the stream, in the hyporheos, and enter the flowing stream to emerge as adults. Very little is known about their life histories. Our study at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center revealed their emergence over a short interval is highly synchronized, irrespective of temperatures. With climate change, the restricted timing of emergence may affect their survival and stream food webs.

Did you know? These small stoneflies belong to a family that often mature to hatch in the autumn.

Publications:

Li, J. S. L. Johnson and J. B. Banks.  2011.  Three responses to small changes in stream temperature by fall-emerging aquatic insects. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 30:474-484