Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Program

1. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Program Promoting restoration and stewardship of the Rouge River ecosystem through education, citizen involvement and other collaborative efforts, for the purpose of improving the quality of life for the people, plants, and animals ofthe watershed

2. Rouge River Watershed

3. Benthic Macroinvertebrate: animal without a backbone that lives in the streambed and can be seen without magnification

4. Benthic Macroinvertebrates • Good indicators of localized conditions • Easy sampling techniques • A primary food source for many fish • Generally abundant communities • From EPA

5. The Fascinating Lives of Aquatic Insects

6. The Fascinating Lives of Aquatic Insects Habitat

7. To avoid being swept away in the current, lay low… Water penny beetle larva: Psephenidae Flathead mayfly nymph: Heptageniidae

8. …or hold on tight! Black fly larvae: Simuliidae

9. To hide from predators, use the habitat, or build your own! Case-building caddisfly larva: Brachycentridae

10. The Fascinating Lives of Aquatic Insects Feeding

11. Catch food as it goes by… Black Fly Larvae: Simuliidae

12. …use a net… Caddisfly larvae: Hydropsychidae

13. …or be a predator!

14. Predaceous Dragonfly Nymphs

15. Feeding: Life as an adult VS.

16. The Fascinating Lives of Aquatic Insects Oxygen

17. Getting O2: Diffusion

18. Getting O2: Using gills

19. Getting O2: Air bubbles and plastrons Air Bubbles = temporary supply Plastrons = permanent supply

20. Getting O2: Siphons and tubes

21. The Fascinating Lives of Aquatic Insects Reproduction

22. Aquatic Pupae Flying Adults Midge Life Cycle Eggs Aquatic Larvae Complete Metamorphosis

23. Subimagoes Adults Mayfly Life Cycle Eggs Incomplete Metamorphosis Aquatic Nymphs

24. Good indicators of localized conditions Easy sampling techniques A primary food source for many fish Generally abundant communities Diversity = Healthy stream Threats to bug diversity Sedimentation Habitat loss Chemical pollution Why collect bugs?

25. How do we collect bugs?

26. Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet • Collection Information • Stream Conditions • Habitats Sampled • Identification • Assessment

27. Embeddedness

28. Let’s meet the bugs!

29. Caddisflies

30. Caddisflies • Very short antennae • 3 pairs of legs each with 1 tarsal claw • A pair of fleshy prolegs on last abdominal segment

31. 1 Caddisflies 44mm

32. Common Net-spinning Caddisfly Hydropsychidae 2 10 mm

34. Hellgrammites and Alderflies • Large mandibles • 7-8 pairs of lateral filaments

35. Hellgramites 1

36. Alderfly 2

37. Note the Differences! 1 • Hellgrammite • No distinct, single tail • Generally larger 2 • Alderfly • Distinct, single tail • Generally smaller

38. 1 Mayflies

39. Mayflies • Gills on most of the 7 abdominal segments • Usually 3 tails

41. 1 Gilled Snail • Have an operculum or plate-like door that protects the opening of the shell and can be quickly closed to avoid predators. • Coiled shells that usually open on the right-hand side.

42. 1 Stoneflies Nymph Adult

43. Stoneflies • 2 tarsal claws • 2 long filamentous tails

45. Water Penny 1

46. Water Snipe Fly 1

47. 2 Beetles

48. Beetles: Larvae 2 • Chewing or biting mouthparts • 3 Pairs of legs • Generally well sclerotized

49. 2 Beetles: Adults • Shell-like wings • Chewing mouthparts