Shown here is the Red Spinner, or the adult of the mayfly atalophlebia australis, which is one of the most prevalent mayflies to imitate for fly fishers on Tassie’s rivers and lakes.
We discovered this hitch hiker who made his way from the Central Highlands to the Northern Midlands in the car. He’s like many we find in the boat or car moving from one location to another. Hitch hiking is a means of natural population transfer, insects will hitch rides on animals and vehicles and the wind.
Another hitch hiker shown here on the esky in our boat is a dun. These turn into the spinner.
How can we tell this spinner is a male? Because of the claspers, and because of the big eyes which look up. Did you know the males fly under the swarms looking up for females?
Red Spinner. Trout food.
The Dun, which becomes the Spinner
Image credits: Gary France & Fiona Dewar
