I saw this bug, about 3” long, and I wondered what in the world it could be. I had no idea anything this large lived in our area. After some online digging, I found out it’s a stonefly—very appropriate given the setting.
He sat patiently while I spent about 10 minutes taking a series of shots. Here’s a close-up:
This is the naiad, aka larval, stage. I read that stonefly are very sensitive to pollution, and their presence indicates a very healthy body of water. Yay!
Technical info: ISO 200, 1/640th second, f/11. Taken with Schneider-Kreuznach 120mm macro lens.
Highlight of my day.