Terrestrials:  Ants  |  Beetles  

Ants:

I don't think there is a person on the planet that hasn't heard of ants. From B-grade Hollywood movies to the family picnic, ants are recognized worldwide. Ants belong to the family Formicidae of the order Hymenoptera and are distant cousins to both bees and wasps.

Within the Formicidae family are two distinct sub families., Myrmicinae and Formiciane. The Myrmiciane family includes such members as fire and harvester ants. This is a sub-family to be wary of as many of the females from this side of the family can sting. The Formiciane sub-family, on the other hand, is somewhat friendlier as the females do not sting. Carpenter ants and field ants fall into this category. But, depending upon the individual species, all ants are capable of a good bite.

All ants share the same body structure. A large abdomen joined by thin body segments to a thicker thorax and head. This gives the ant a distinct hourglass or dumbbell appearance that fish recognize all too well. Ants have a complete life cycle but it is the adult form that we care about as fly-fishers. The majority of ants are workers and incapable of flight. Only queens and drones (males) are capable of flight and these flights only take place at certain times of the year, typically spring and fall. At these times virgin queens and drones leave the security of their subterranean or decaying wood nests to mate and colonize new areas. It si is at this time that anglers are most likely to see ants upon the lake's surface. During windy conditions, large numbers of these fledging adults find themselves over water with no hope of crossing. Clumsy fliers end up dashed upon the water. These fallen adults ride low in the water providing an easy food source that trout have come to recognize. The leeward side of points during windy conditions is a great place to stumble onto this localized phenomenon. Trout in these areas begin to key on the fallen adults taking them in subtle rises. The formic acid contained in this terrestrial fare makes ants tough to digest and often trout will go off the feed as the struggle to absorb their recent feast. Here in British Columbia the first warm stretch after Mother's Day sees the first ant activity of the season as the large carpenter ants stray onto the scene.

As I mentioned the leeward side of points are great spots to find areas of activity. Especially points with bushes and lots of fallen and rotting timber, as these are favored nesting sites. During windy conditions ants become concentrated in foam lines formed by wind. Trout patrol foam lines sipping drowned and near dead ants at their leisure.

Beetles

With over 290,000 members worldwide, beetles are the largest of all insect orders. There are over 28,000 species in North America alone. Seen as destructive pests who scavenge and pillage the land, beetles have fostered a special relationship with fly-fishers. River and stream anglers often reach for beetle patterns during those all too frequent non-hatch periods. Some species of beetles are aquatic and although they do slip onto the palette of trout from time to time, their numbers seem too inconsequential to worry about. The beetle of interest to the lake angler and fly tier is the terrestrial beetle whose careless habits land it on the water.

As with other terrestrial food sources, trout are only exposed to the adult stage of dry land beetles. Beetles have a universal oval shape but it's the thickness and width of their bodies that vary, being either squat or long and narrow. Beetles vary in size, as some are tiny while others reach gargantuan proportions. The majority of beetles I run across are dark in color with greens, browns and blacks being popular colors. Depending upon geographical area other colors are possible and local study pays off in no time.

Trout seem to become attracted to beetles when enough of them collect upon the surface where they take them in gentle rises just like ants. The beetle hangs motionless, riding in the surface film as if stunned by its predicament. Perhaps it is having some kind of mental brainstorming session trying to figure a way out of its lethal dilemma. With enough beetles on the water, trout can become opportunistic and selective in short order. Although I don't reach for beetles as much as other imitations, I always have a couple of beetle impostors in my fly box. I don't want to be caught watching as trout sip beetles all around my boat.

"Because you never stop learning"