Stoneflies
Order Plecoptera
Aquatic insects found near clean, cold streams. Their nymphs require high-oxygen water, making adults excellent bioindicators of water quality.
Species in this Order (60)
Alpine Stonefly
Dictyogenus alpinum
A large, dark stonefly of cold alpine streams and rivers. Its nymphs are voracious predators of othe...
American Needlefly
Leuctra tenuis
A delicate needle-thin stonefly of Appalachian headwater streams. Nymphs are important processors of...
Appalachian Springfly
Remenus bilobatus
A rare springfly restricted to a few clean Appalachian headwater streams. Nymphs are predatory on sm...
Cascades Stonefly
Doroneuria theodora
A large predatory stonefly endemic to Cascade Range streams. Nymphs inhabit cold boulder-strewn torr...
Chilean Giant Stonefly
Diamphipnoa helicoides
An ancient, large stonefly endemic to Chilean mountain streams. It belongs to a relict family with G...
Eastern Salmonfly
Pteronarcys biloba
A large dark stonefly of Appalachian streams that emerges in late spring. Nymphs process leaf litter...
Embossed Stonefly
Paragnetina immarginata
A large patterned stonefly of clean eastern streams with raised body markings. Nymphs are top predat...
Forestfly
Nemoura cambrica
A small brown stonefly associated with forested Welsh and British streams. Nymphs have distinctive c...
Giant Salmonfly
Pteronarcys princeps
A massive stonefly of western mountain rivers with a three-year nymphal life cycle. Nymphs feed on d...
Giant Stonefly
Pteronarcys dorsata
One of the largest North American stoneflies with a wingspan over 75 mm. Its large nymphs are import...
Giant Stonefly
Pteronarcys californica
Large aquatic insects whose nymphs require pristine, cold, oxygen-rich streams. Adults are poor flie...
Glacial Stonefly
Leuctra alpina
A small, slender stonefly found in the coldest alpine headwater streams. Its needle-like wings are r...
Golden Stonefly
Hesperoperla pacifica
A large golden-brown predatory stonefly found in western North American rivers. Nymphs are voracious...
Golden Stonefly
Perlesta placida
A medium-sized golden-brown stonefly widespread in eastern North American streams. Nymphs are predat...
Golden Stonefly
Calineuria californica
A large predatory stonefly with a golden-brown body found in western North American rivers. Its nymp...
Graceful Winter Stonefly
Capnia gracilaria
A minute stonefly of cold North American headwater streams emerging in winter. Females are often sho...
Green Stonefly
Alloperla severa
A small bright green stonefly of clean headwater streams. Nymphs are predators of tiny invertebrates...
Green Stonefly
Alloperla caudata
A small bright green stonefly found along clean mountain streams in North America. Despite its small...
Hooked Stonefly
Agnetina capitata
A large, patterned stonefly of eastern North American rivers with distinctive hooked anal gills. Nym...
Japanese Giant Stonefly
Oyamia lugubris
A large predatory stonefly found in mountainous streams of Japan. Nymphs have powerful mandibles for...
Lake Stonefly
Megaleuctra complicata
A rare stonefly found in cold mountain lake outlets and spring-fed streams....
Large Alpine Stonefly
Perla grandis
One of the largest European stoneflies, found in clean mountain rivers. Its nymphs take several year...
Large Spring Stonefly
Dinocras cephalotes
One of the largest European stoneflies with a distinctively broad, flattened head. Nymphs are apex i...
Large Stonefly
Perla bipunctata
One of the largest European stoneflies with a distinctive pair of pale spots on its head. Its predat...
Mountain Stonefly
Protonemura montana
A small brown stonefly common along mountain brooks and streams. Nymphs feed on fallen leaves in col...
Needle Stonefly
Leuctra fusca
A small slender stonefly that rolls its wings tightly around its body at rest, giving it a needle-li...
Needlefly
Leuctra inermis
A slender stonefly that rolls its wings tightly around its body at rest, resembling a needle. Nymphs...
Northern Stonefly
Nemoura arctica
A small, dark brown stonefly with two long cerci at the tip of the abdomen. Adults hold their wings ...
Perlodes Stonefly
Perlodes microcephalus
A striking patterned stonefly with yellow and brown markings found across Europe. Nymphs are active ...
Prostoia Forestfly
Prostoia besametsa
A small spring stonefly of eastern North American woodland streams. Nymphs are detritivores among le...
Rolled-Wing Stonefly
Leuctra geniculata
A small autumn-emerging stonefly with wings rolled around the body. It is one of the few stoneflies ...
Rolled-wing Stonefly
Leuctra hippopus
A small, slender stonefly that emerges in spring from headwater streams. It is one of the most commo...
Sallfly
Chloroperla tripunctata
A small, bright green stonefly with three distinctive dark spots on its head. It is common in clean ...
Sallfly
Chloroperla torrentium
A small greenish-yellow stonefly found in fast upland streams across Europe. Nymphs are active preda...
Short-Tailed Stonefly
Brachyptera risi
A medium-sized early-emerging stonefly with notably short cerci. It hatches in late winter and early...
Skimmer Stonefly
Acroneuria abnormis
A large predatory stonefly widespread in eastern North American rivers. Adults skim across the water...
Small Brown Forestfly
Nemoura avicularis
A small brown stonefly of European woodland streams that emerges in spring. Nymphs are detritivores ...
Small Brown Stonefly
Nemoura cinerea
A very common small brown stonefly found in a wide range of freshwater habitats across Europe. It is...
Snowborn Stonefly
Capnia atra
A tiny black stonefly that emerges during the coldest months in northern North America. Adults are f...
South African Brown Stonefly
Neoperla spio
A medium-sized brown stonefly found in rivers and streams of southern and eastern Africa. Nymphs are...
Southern Salmonfly
Neoperla clymene
A medium-sized stonefly of warm southeastern streams with nocturnal adults. Nymphs are active predat...
Southern Stonefly
Aphanicerca capensis
A small brown stonefly endemic to mountain streams of the Western Cape, South Africa. It belongs to ...
Speckled Peter Stonefly
Paragnetina media
A medium-sized patterned stonefly of eastern streams with distinctive speckled wing markings. Nymphs...
Spring Alpine Stonefly
Rhabdiopteryx alpina
An early-emerging stonefly that appears in spring along cold mountain streams. Adults can often be s...
Spring Stonefly
Amphinemura sulcicollis
A small dark stonefly that emerges in early spring in European streams. Nymphs are shredders of deco...
Springfly
Isoperla signata
A spring-emerging stonefly of fast-flowing European streams. Nymphs are active hunters that pursue p...
Stripetail Stonefly
Isoperla transmarina
A stripetail stonefly with distinctive banded cerci found in clean eastern streams. Nymphs are agile...
Stripetail Stonefly
Isoperla bilineata
A yellow-green stonefly with two distinctive dark stripes on its tails. It is common in clean North ...
Sweltsa Green Stonefly
Sweltsa borealis
A small northern green stonefly found in cold boreal and montane streams. Nymphs prey on early-insta...
Tasmanian Giant Stonefly
Eusthenia spectabilis
A spectacular large stonefly endemic to Tasmanian mountain streams with bold orange and black markin...
Tiny Winter Black Stonefly
Capnia nigra
A tiny black stonefly that emerges in late winter across European streams. It is among the earliest ...
Western Glacier Stonefly
Zapada glacier
A cold-specialist stonefly found only in glacier-fed streams in Glacier National Park. It is threate...
Western Stone
Doroneuria baumanni
A large predatory stonefly of Pacific Northwest mountain streams. Nymphs have distinctive patterned ...
Winter Stonefly
Capnia vernalis
A tiny dark stonefly that emerges in late winter and early spring, often walking on snow. Nymphs dev...
Winter Stonefly
Allocapnia granulata
A tiny dark stonefly that emerges in mid-winter and walks on snow to find mates....
Winter Stonefly
Taeniopteryx nebulosa
A dark brown stonefly that emerges in the coldest months of winter, walking on snow near streams. Ny...
Winter Stonefly
Taeniopteryx burksi
A dark-colored stonefly that emerges during winter months when few other aquatic insects are active....
Yellow Sally
Isoperla fulva
A bright yellow stonefly common in European upland streams. Nymphs are omnivorous, feeding on both a...
Yellow Sally Stonefly
Isoperla grammatica
A common European stonefly with a distinctive yellow body, emerging in late spring on clean rivers. ...
Yellow Stonefly
Isoperla dicala
A bright yellow springfly found in clean Appalachian streams. Nymphs are predatory on small inverteb...