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Life Stage Characteristics
True Fly - Midge (Diptera - Chironomidae)

 
Larva
   -   No tails
   -   Antennae minute
   -   No legs; body has the general appearance of a segmented tube
   -   Instars: 3-4
Pupa
   -   Head, thorax, and wing pads clumped together
   -   May have filamentous gill fibers on top of thorax
Adult
   -   No tails
   -   Antennae not more than 2-3 times width of head in length
   -   Only first pair of wings developed; second pair of wings evolved to short stalks, called halteres
True Flies include (26) aquatic families.   However, chironomids (illustrated above) are of the most interest to trout.  Chironomid larvae have a body with the general appearance of a segmented tube with a pair of fleshy prolegs at both ends.

Created: 08/04/2004   Last modified: 05/21/2010    www.FlyfishingEntomology.com