Subject: what is it??
Location: central Pennsylvania
February 10, 2013 4:52 pm
Hey bugman 🙂 today my husband nd i decided to take our four year old or a walk around the reservoir. Its early February in were in central Pennsylvania. We came across this bug just walking around in the snow. We would love to know what it is! Can you help?
Signature: S*C*A*M*
Dear S*C*A*M*,
There are a few insects found in the winter on the snow that are commonly called Snowflies, and this is one of them. This is a Small Winter Stonefly in the family Capniidae. Their presence near your reservoir is an indication that the water quality is quite pure as they cannot survive in polluted waters.
Thank you so much! We’re happy to have these little guys around if it means we have clean water! Its interesting how they survive in such cold conditions!