NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORIES AND BEARING AND HOLDING TECHNICS OF CERTAIN LIVE BAITS BY R. Jack Schultz Inn-3"“- A THESIS Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE ~\‘ Department of Zoology 1953 THESIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ;possible. The author wishes to extend his sincere appreciation to the many persons whose suggestions and advice made this report Special acknowledgement is due Dr. Robert C. Ball for his guidance throughout the entire work, Dr. Walter F. lMorofsky for his many suggestions, and Mr. Phillip Coleman for 1115 photographic work. an 3‘. ".'.‘ f“ 3‘ 9.33.} \-)".I) 9 '-.) ITIGURE 10. 11. 12. LIST OF FIGURES Dorsal view of burrowing mayfly. Ephemerinae Ventral view of burrowing mayfly. Ephemerinae "Stick caddis" within case. TrichOptera "Stick caddis" removed from case. TrichOptera "Stone caddis” within case. TrichOptera "Stone caddis removed from case. TrichOptera Dorsal view of "hellgrammite". Corydalis cornutus Ventral view of ”hellgrammite". gprydalis cornutus Rat—tail maggot Syrphidae Dorsal view of waxworm. Gflglaria mellonella Ventral view of waxworm. Gallaria mellonella Ventral view of cattle grub. Hypoderma._p. I?IGURE 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Dorsal view of cattle grub. Hypoderma g2. Corn borer. Pyrausta nubilalis "Sand grub". Trox s3. "Ball gall". Eurosta solidagines ”Stick gall". GnorimoschemaAgallaesolidaginis Mealworm Tenebrio molitor American cockroach Periplaneta americana Crayfish Orconectes propinquus TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EARTHWORMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LEECHES, HIRUDINEA . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . WIGGLERS, EPHEMERIDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CADDIS LARVAE, TRICHOPTERA . . . . . . . . . . . . HELLGRAMMITES, Corydalis cornuta . . . . . . RAT-TAIL MAGGOT, SYRPHIDAE . ... . . . . . . . . . WAXWORMS, Gallaria mellonelig . . . . . . . CATTLE GRUBS, Hypoderma bovis and g. lineatum HORSE BOTS, Gastrophilgs . . . . . . . . . . . . EUROPEAN CORN BORER, Pyrausta nubilalis SAND GRUBS, TROGIDAE . . . . . . . . . . GOLDENROD GALLS, Eurosta solidagines and GnorimoschemaAgallaesolidaginis. OAK OR MAPLE TWIG PRUNER,_Eyperma11us villosus . . FLATHEADED WOODBORER, BUPRESTIDAE. LONGHORNED BORER, CERAMBYCIDAE . MEALWORMS, Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus . . . . . . WHITE GRUBS, Phyllophaga . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 13 21 27 32 35 39 47 53 57 62 63 71 73 75 77 83 PAGE CRICKETS, Grzllus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 COCKROACH,BLATTIDAE..................92 CRAYF ISH , ASTAC IDAE O O C O O O I O O O C O O C O O O O O O 98 SUMMARY.........................110 INTRODUCTION With the exception of the war years there has been a steady increase in the number of fishermen that flock to the streams and lakes of Iichigan. As a result there has been a greater demand for bait. In former years it was possible for bait dealers and fishermen to supply their needs from natural sources, but the increased number of fisher- men coupled with modern agricultural and industrial practices has placed certain baits at a premium and rendered older methods of supplying bait inadequate. More efficient insecti- cides, crop rotation, and delayed planting practices have done much to reduce the supply of terrestrial insect baits while pollution has had the same effect on aquatic forms. The bait industry of today has become one of enormous size and complexity. Lauff (1950) found that in Michigan alone there were over 2000 licensed live bait dealers and that the total gross sales of the industry was 3.8 million dollars, about half of which was derived from the sale of baits other than minnows. Lauff found that over 95 per cent of the whole- sale dealers and 70 per cent of the retail dealers utilized natural live bait resources. Iith such a demand being placed on natural bait supplies it is easy to see that an even great- er increase in the number of fishermen in future years may cause more problems to arise in the bait industry. As a result of this increasing shortage of natural baits a great deal of work has been done in an attempt to find more efficient methods of collecting and holding live baits and to make better use of those organisms already supplied by nature. In many cases artificial means of propagation have been worked out that give promise to an inexaustable and constant supply of certain species. The results of this work; however, are widely scattered throughout the literature and it is the pur— pose of this paper to bring together that literature dealing with problems related to the bait industry, adding to it some original data concerned with holding technics. To thoroughly understand problems involved in supplying bait, a knowledge of the natural history of the group or species is necessary and an account has been included for each bait considered. Some of the baits discussed have only recently appeared on the market and little is known about the technics involved in their pro— pagation; in such cases what is known has been presented. The duality of each bait as far as its attractiveness to fish is concerned has been mentioned, however, this information is based on the opinions of fishermen and bait dealers familiar with the bait and is not derived from scientific investigation. EARTHWORMS Life History — Earthworms are primarily nocturnal animals living in good soils, rich in humus and moisture; they are usually scarce in poor, acid, sandy soils. Storer (1943) states that the burrows of earthworms are nearly vertical at the top but wind about in the soil to depths as much as six to eight feet. In soft soil, worms burrow by using their narrow anterior end as a wedge, forcing the soil outward by swelling the pharynx region. In heavier soil the worm moves about by actually eating its way. The soil is taken in through the mouth, passes through the alimentary canal, and is then deposited as feces or "cast— ings".. Burrows may be lined in their upper parts with slime, castings, leaves, or fine pebbles to produce a smooth interior. During the winter or periods of drought, earthworms go deep within the soil where they remain inactive until more favorable conditions present themselves. When the soil is moist and temperatures moderate, they come to the upper soil layers, where , according to Olson (1928), they lie in their tunnels with the anterior and near the surface. At night they push out the plug of leafy material blocking the burrow and crawl to the surface. A small portion of the posterior end is left in the ground to aid in hasty retreats or to serve as an anchor while the anterior end is pulling up plants. The food of earthworms con— sists chiefly of organic matter in the soil, leaves and small plants. Fresh meat is eaten but never putrid meats. Prior to ingestion salivary fluid is poured on the food to soften and partially digest it. The soft parts are then injested leaving the veins of the leaf like fine lace. Frequently leaves are ltaken into the burrow to line the enlarged chamber at the bottom. Olson (1928) found that in Ohio the most active part of the breeding season was from June to October but that some breeding took place even later in damp shady places and at considerable depth. Though each worm is a male-female (hermophrodite), con— taining both eggs and spermatozoa, they are not self—fertilizing, but mutually fertilize each others eggs. Olson describes the copulation of worms as follows: ”The two worms meet and overlap one another for about one—third to one-fourth of their lengths, with the heads facing Opposite directions and the ventral sides in con- tact. They then secrete quantities of viscous mucous, *which forms a thick band about the clitellar regions of their bodies. These mucous bands surround both bodies and serve to bind the copulating individuals tightly to- gether. Each worm acts as a male, giving off a quantity of seminal fluid that is conducted along the grooves to the seminal recepticals of the other where it is picked up and stored.” Upon separation, the slime tube of each worm closes about the body and is worked forward. As it passes the fourteenth segment it picks up a few eggs and continues to the ninth and tenth segment where spermatozoa is added from the seminal re- ceptical. The ring is then slipped off the anterior end, closing up as it does so. This closed slime ring with its eggs and spermatozoa is known as the capsule. Size, shape, and color of capsules vary. Those of Eisenia galiginosgs trapgzoides are oval with pointed ends and a yellowish color. Only one egg, rarely two or three of the eight originals develops into an embryo in this species. ,Lymhgiggg terregtris has lemon-shaped capsules, olive in color, and four to twenty eggs, all of which hatch. Storer (1948) states that Eisenia foetida has 1 to 28 eggs of which 10 to 12 develop. He states that the young worms hatch in two to three weeks. According to Shepherd (1953), earthworms produce a capsule of 2 to 20 eggs every seven days or so, which, after hatching, require 60 to 90 days to mature. As regards the regeneration of lost somites, Storer (1948) says: ”The adult earthworm has some ability to regenerate somites removed at the ends of the body by accident or experiment. At the anterior end no more than 4 will form, and no 'head' will form if 15 or more are cut off; regenera— tion at the anal end often follows loss of somites there. Experiments in grafting have produced worms with two tail ends, short worms from two terminal portions, or extra- long werms by Joining parts of three worms." Earthworms have certain external characteristics, described by Storer (1948), that deserve attention. Their bodies are com- posed of 100 - 180 ring—like segments or somites separated by transverse grooves. Each somite with the exception of the first three and the last one, has four pairs of minute bristles or setae on the ventral and lateral surfaces. Setae can be moved in any direction and extended or withdrawn at will. They serve as hold-fast organs when the worm is moving in its burrow or over the ground. The clitellum or pack saddle, located over somites XXXI - XXXVII (in Lumbricus terrestris), is a glandular swelling which secretes the slime for cocoons. The entire body is covered with a thin moist cuticle through which oxygen is taken and carbon dioxide is expelled. The genus §i§enia (fielodrilgg) which includes the common earthworm and manure worm may be identified by the following characteristics, according to Eddy and Hodson (1950): prostomium incompletely divides peristomium and anterior edge of clitellum is before segment 30. mebricus terrestris commonly known as night crawler, crawler, dewworm, and night walker has the clitellum included in segments 31 or 32 to 37 and the prostomium completely dividing the peristomium. ~gearing - Large quantities of earthworms can be raised in wash tubs, metal drums, fruit lugs, and other such containers. Metal containers should be painted with asphalt, acid proof paint, or a good house paint to prevent rust (Swingle and Sturkie, 1948). Wooden boxes should be of a rot resistant wood.and have the bottom covered with two or three layers of burlap. Any of the soils used, according to Swingle and Sturkie, should be free of sand since the sharp grains are injurious to the digestive tracts of worms. Loam, clay loam, or porous clay may be used. Leaves, grass, moss, manure, or rotten straw should be mixed with the soil (one fourth its volume) to increase the organic content. Enough moisture is added to allow clumping when a handful of soil is squeezed. Swingle and Sturkie found that if the soil was too dry, the worms went to the bottom of the rearing bed; and if it was too wet they came to the surface. Moisture should be regulated in such a manner that the worms will be found in the upper three to five inches of soil. A cover of burlap or boards will help retain the moisture. Several types of food may be used. Swingle and Sturkie (1948) had their best results with a mixture of one half pound of vegetable shortening or lard to one pound of corn meal. This was mixed together and added to the upper two or three inches of soil. That quantity is enough for the first month in a tub two feet in diameter with eight inches of soil. After the first month, one-half pound of lard to one pound of corn meal should be added every two weeks. Using this food, worms of bait size may be produced for about five cents per hundred.- Swingle and Sturkie (1948) state that contrary to popular opinion coffee grounds have no value. Foods used with success by Shepard (1953) are: chicken mash, rabbit food in pellet form, nut meal, grass cuttings, and garbage. These were added to the top of the worm bed as soon as the previous supply had been exhausted. The number and size of the rearing containers used will, of course, depend on the needs of the individual. Swingle and Sturkie (1948) state that a tub two feet in diameter and ten inches deep will produce from 3,500 to 5,000 worms of bait size. They recommend that no less than two tubs be used. This way worms may be taken from one tub for several months without disturbing the other tub. Tubs or other such containers may be kept in a cool basement where the worms will produce all year around; or they may be placed outdoors, in which case, the bed should be provided with good drainage, plenty of shade, and a cover for protection during periods of abundant rainfall. The initial Supply of worms placed in each rearing bed will depend on the size of the bed. About 100 worms are sufficient to stock a tub or fruit lug; more may be added proportionately to larger beds. From the time of stocking, three to four months are required before the young hatch and attain bait size. Large commercial beds may be constructed if desired. Shepherd (1953) states that a three by eight foot bed with twelve inches of soil will accommodate 100,000 worms. A bed of this type may be constructed with cement blocks or cinder blocks piled two deep and arranged in a rectangle. The bottom is lined with boards and burlap. I Hutchins describes an outdoor worm bed directly in contact with the earth. He says that such a bed also requires a shady 10 well drained area. A pit is dug 12 to 18 inches deep, 3 to 4 feet wide and 6 to 10 feet long. It is then filled with the mixture of soil and leaves described above. He says, "As the soil and leaf mixture is replaced, rake it out into layers three to five inches deep and sprinkle yellow cornmeal on each layer. Spray water on each layer to moisten the soil required. Fill the pit to the level of the surrounding area.” Several hundred worms are sprinkled over the surface and after two hours the dead ones are removed. Food should be added once a week and only as much as will be consumed between feedings. Some of the better foods for this purpose are: yellow cornmeal, vegetable refuse, and old bread. After each feeding, a thin layer of dirt should be sprinkled over the food. This bed like the others is covered with straw or burlap to reduce evaporation. Manure worms may be cultured in the same type of pit if it is filled with rotted horse or cow manure. Probably the simplest outdoor worm bed is that described by Swingle and Sturkie (1948) in which dish water is utilized. The water is either carried to the bed or piped to it from.the kitchen sink. In the later case the water should be piped at least fifty feet from the house through tile or pipe and emptied 11 into a long shallow V—shaped ditch lined with boards. The 100 worms added to this bed usually require a year to produce sufficient numbers for harvest. When a supply of bait is needed, the boards are raised and the desired worms scooped from the surface soil. Certain pests are likely to be found feeding upon the food in rearing beds. Mites may be killed by lightly dusting the top of the bed with sulfur dust. Concentrations high enough to kill mites are still safe to the worms. Ants are kept out of indoor tubs or boxes by either setting them on a chair which has the legs immersed in oil or by dusting the floor around the container with pyrethrum or chlordane powder. Screening is the only way to keep out rats and mice. The removal of worms from tubsor fruit lugs may best be affected by throwing a quantity of soil and worms into a large bucket. If it is allowed to stand for thirty minutes and the tap soil put back in the rearing container, the majority of the worms will have crawled through the loose soil and be concentrated in the bottom of the bucket where they may be easily removed. To take worms from a permanent bed the surface layers are turned over with a spading fork. Worms that are softer than desired 12 should be toughened in sand. In the Wise Fisherman's En- cyclopedia it is stated that to do this a box is filled with sand the consistancy of brown sugar. A large ball of clean moss is placed in the center of the box and the worms are dug.down into the sand. If they are left in the box for a week, the worms will pass back and forth from the sand to the moss, shrinking in size and becoming tough. When carrying worms on fishing trips, it is best to use two containers, one small enough to fit inside the other. The worms are placed in the smaller can with damp moss. The larger can is then lined with moss and the smaller one placed inside it. Worms will keep much better this way than they will in a single can. anlity,§§ g gait - Worms are probably the most popular fresh- water bait in the country. Great numbers of bass, bluegills, perch, trout, bullheads, wall—eyed pike and others are taken on this bait each year. All bait shops, regardless of size, handle worms. They charge from 35 to 50 cents a hundred for them early in the season and 75 cents a hundred in late July and August when they become scarce. The price of nightcrawlers ranges from 25 to 50 cents a dozen. 13 LEECEES, EIRUDINEA ,Lifg Eistogz - Several species of leeches are found in ponds, lakes, and streams, but only four interest the fisherman or bait dealer. One of the larger of the four is the American medicinal leech. Macrobdella decora, which was used in this country for blood letting in years past and is still being used to some extent. Moore (1923) states that this species reaches a length of 10 to 12 inches but more commonly is 3 to 6 inches. The body is flattened and the margins sharpened; its anterior sucker is powerful and has a wide, unsegmented, mobile border. The upper lips can be folded into the mouth cavity and are almost concealed by the lateral lobes that close beneath it. The Jaws are prominent and possess 85 small teeth in each, arranged in a single series. All members of the family Eirudinidae have five pairs of eyes. In 1. ggora the eyes are large and arranged in a submarginal arch. Living specimens display rich-colors. The dorsal surface varies from a light sage-green to dark olive-green with dark longitudinal lines or streaks faintly visable in the median area. A series of small but conspicuous cadmdum-orange or light red spots are arranged along the median line, one on each segment. Near the 14 margin on either side is a similarly arranged row of small black spots. The ventral surface is rich orange varying in shade and intensity. Sometimes it is plain and sometimes spotted with black to a varying degree. The American medicinal leech is more of a swamp inhabitant than of ponds and may be found ‘in shallows or at the shoreline. They conceal themselves beneath stones and logs, particularly those that are partially emergent. A positive tropism is shown to any mechanical disturbance of the water, such as a wading person or animal. Their chemical senses are also affected by such activity. In collecting leeches advantage may be taken of this. If a collector stirs up the bottom mud with his foot, any leeches in the neighborhood will move slowly toward the commotion and become attached to the foot or leg of the individual. Food of g, decora consists primarily of vertebrate blood derived from man or animals entering the water. In the absence of vertebrates leeches will feed on tadpoles, fishes, frogs, or turtles. Frogs' eggs, aquatic worms, and occasionally insect larvae also are consumed. .gacrobdella are primarily nocturnal, but proper stimulus will induce them to go forth 15 freely in daylight. As with most aquatic invertebrates, metabolism is largely a function of temperature. A reduction of temperature induces quiescence. At 40°F. they become sluggish, and at 39°F. they seek winter quarters. Freezing is not lethal unless temperatures are reduced below 20°F. In the spring they make their appearance with the frogs and feed freely on both frogs and their eggs. If the pond drys up, leeches incase themselves in a mucous lined cell beneath a log or a stone, shrink in size and remain there until more favorable conditions present themselves. After feeding voraciously in the spring, they copulate. This is done much after the fashion of earthworms. With aid of secretions from the cepulatory gland these hermaphrodites become joined together and a transfer of Spermatophores is made. Egg capsules may be found at the water's edge buried in the mud or turf during June or July. They are from 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in length, broadly elliptical, and are pale straw in color. The period of incubation is about three weeks depending on the temperature. loore (1912) gives the distribution of !, degora as the northern half of the united States and into Canada. 16 The most widely distributed leech is Egpggggllg,pgggtgta. According to loore (1912), it may be found in every spring, brook and river, ditch, pond and lake regardless of how pure and cold, warm or foul. It is usually the most common species of leech present. Larger specimens are found in larger rivers, ponds, and the Great Lakes. They congregate on the shore of ponds having the richest food supply. During the day they con- ceal themselves under logs, stones, and leaves going forth at night in search of food. ,E, punctata feeds on aquatic insects and larvae, and aquatic oligochaetes, but will attach to fishes and frogs or warm blooded animals. They are sometimes canni- balistic. The breeding period is long, extending over most of the spring and summer. Their small, flat, amber—colored egg cases are attached beneath under-water objects. Moore (1912) states that this leech is of moderate size, slender and elongate, usually terite anteriorly and often depressed posteriorly. The sides are nearly parallel, rounded anteriorly, and have sharp, prominent edges posteriorly. Its firm, muscular body attains a length of about five inches. Of the three pairs of eyes, the first is the most prominent. The oral sucker is small consisting of little more than short lips overhanging the nearly 17 terminal mouth. Young Egpgbggllg,pgggtgtg are nearly trans- lucent; the blood showing through gives them a pinkish color. Ground color of adults is plumbeous, slate-color, brownish gray, olive, brown, fuscous, light brown, or chocolate. Ventrally they are lighter. Sometimes a golden green hue spreads over the entire dorsum. Brown is the most usual color and may be plain or marked with irregular black spots with light centers. These are arranged in two or four longitudinal lines leaving the middle of the back and margins clear. The horse leech, fiaemopis o oratis, is described by Moore (1912) as possessing five pairs of eyes in a regular arch.on somites II to VI. The fourth and fifth pairs are not as prominent. Its jaws are well developed, bearing a few coarse teeth arranged in paired series. There are 12 to 16 teeth on each jaw. Color varies, but it is marked more or less thickly with non-metameric black blotches. The body is soft and limp and seldom exceeds six inches in length or 1/3 of an inch in diameter. Ground color is usually some shade of green, olive, or greenish brown. Sometimes this leech is nearly plain, sometimes remotely spotted, but usually it is thickly and confluently blotched with irregular or intermixed 18 Spots of lighter gray and darker browns or black. Sometimes the dark markings are so close together on the dorsal surface that the leech appears black. Horse leeches are semi—aquatic, living in mud by the side of ponds, pools, and lakes, not actually in the water. They eat earthworms, aquatic insects and their larvae, aquatic oligochaetes, gastropods, pelecypods, and large quantities of mud with organic matter. Sometimes they attach themselves to man and cattle. They are found in all parts of the United States. gagggpig ggandis is the largest American leech. Moore (1912) states that a foot in length is not uncommon and that specimens 15 to 18 inches have been recorded. More commonly, however, they are 5 to 8 inches. The body is robust and heavy posteriorly but tapered anteriorly. Its large mouth is con- tracted, and its narrow lips prolonged. The five pairs of eyes characteristic of the family are small, the fourth and fifth being inconspicuous. On the dorsal surface ground color varies from tawny olive to green. Gray, yellow, or light brown covers the ventral surface making it more pale than the dorsum. A great range in degree of maculation is exibited. Most typical 19 are those in which the dorsum of each complete somite is marked by 8 or 10 irregular but somewhat quadrate black spots, most of which are confined to the limits of each annulus. Some are nearly free from spots. ,g. grandis is found on the shores of the Great Lakes and the lakes and ponds of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. It extends east to New England and New York but is rare in the Middle States. This leech may be found at the borders of bodies of water concealed beneath stones. Food consists of earthworms, aquatic worms, other leeches, snails, insect larvae, and organic mud. It does not seem to be interested in fishes, frogs, or turtles. Collectigg - Moore (1923) devised and tested three traps in his study at Palisades Interstate Park. Since these traps at no time captured more than three leeches, their construction will not be discussed in this paper. Moore states that in the days of hirudiculture a bag containing a freshly killed, bleeding animal or slaughter house blood was placed in the water or dragged through it. The leeches were then either removed from the outside of the bag or caught with a dip net as they swam toward the bag. Large numbers of leeches have been captured in this manner. 20 ggggigg - In the past leeches have been cultured on a large scale for blood letting purposes. Bullough (1950) says, "It (fiirpgo) will live for years, and will breed in aquaria, or even in earthen jars, which are kept half full of fresh ‘water in a cool shady place. The aquaria must have well— fitting lids, as the leeches leave the water and wander. They can be kept for at least a year without food, and in any case they need not be fed more often than once in six months. They will suck the blood of any mammal or, more conveniently, of a frog which can be added to the aquarium." Horse leeches ,ngglgpig can be similarly cultured, but it is not a blood sucking Species and should be fed on earthworms or tadpoles (Bullough, 1950). ,flglgggg - From the above it is evident that leeches are not difficult to keep for extended periods of time. A quart jar half full of water is all that is needed. If placed in a cool basement, the only care that need be rendered is the replenish— ment of the water that evaporates. Qpality pg 5 §_a_i_1:_ — Leeches are a very good bait for bass, bullheads, and catfish. They have the advantage of being tough enough so that perch and other small fish cannot chew them off 21 the hook. In parts of the state particularly the Upper Pennisula they are commonly in use, but in the Lansing area there is not enough call for them to induce bait dealers to stock then. They feel, however, that if they did collect leeches or bloodsuckers as they are called, the price wOuld be about 75 cents a dozen. WIGGLERS, EPEEMERIDA [gifg gistory — Mayfly nymphs or naiads are strictly aquatic; occurring in ponds, streams, and at lake margins. These nymphs belonging to the order Ephemerida have seven pairs of gills on the abdomen, a single claw on each foot, and two or three slender tail filaments or setae (Figures 1 and 2). Stonefly nymphs, with which they may be confused, have two claws on each foot and nearly all their gills on the thorax. Mayfly nymphs demonstrate three ecological forms. Species of the subfamily Baetinae are streamlined, agile, smooth-bodied, and fitted for darting about in ponds. The length when full grown is one half to three quarters of an inch. Eeptageninae is found in swift water clinging to stones. Its body is dorso- ventrally depressed, and its eyes and antennae have moved to' Figure l. Dorsal view of burrowing mayfly. X 1.25 Ephemerinae Figure 2. Ventral view of burrowing mayfly. X 1.25 Ephemerinae 22 the dorsal surface. Ephemerinae or burrowing mayflies are commonly known to the fisherman as ”wigglers". This is the only group of mayflies used as live bait (noble, Meehean, and Washburn 1948). Burrowers may be found in the muddy shallows of lakes and rivers. They are the largest of the mayfly nymphs, and are from one and a half to two inches long when full grown. The exact length of the life cycle of Ephemerinae is not known, but Dobie, Meehean, and Washburn (1948) believe it to be two years. Burrowers, as the name implies, live in U-shaped burrows in the mud. Both ends of this burrow are open, and the nymph by the action of its gills keeps a stream of water flowing through it. There is great variation in the depth at which they live, but most burrowers are found in water from two to ten feet deep. Bottom type is important to wigglers, for they cannot penetrate such hard materials as gravel and hard marl nor can they do well in soft muck and sand. Most wigglers are found in firm muck or soft marl where there is no or at least scanty vegetation. The life cycle of mayflies is not completely known. According to Matheson (1948), the female may either drop her eggs on the surface of the water or crawl down into the water 23 and lay them in single layered, circular patches beneath stones. Eggs hatch immediately or may not hatch for some time, as is the case when ponds dry up in the summer. Winters are passed under water in the nympal stage. Mayfly nymphs are strict vegetarians. Most of their food consists of diatoms, desmids, and sometimes the soft tissue of larger plants. Although they do not feed on other aquatic organisms, wigglers , according to Morgan (1930), are eaten by "dragon—fly nymphs, water beetles, and young fishes in enormous numbers." Matheson (1948) states that the last nymphal skin contains within it the fully deveIOped adult; the male and female organs and the eggs are all nearly developed. Having reached this stage, the nymph rises to the surface of the water, emerges through a slit in the back, and takes to the air. It is then that they are referred to as subimagos or "duos". A short time later they shed their skin again and become fully matured images or ”spinners". The adult stage is short, lasting from a few hours to two days. They are delicate insects, soft gray and brown, or pale and translucent. The front wings are much larger than the hind wings, and like the nymph, two or three tail filaments project from the posterior end of the abdomen. Tail filaments 24 of the adult are much longer than the nymphs'. Their mouth parts are reduced and their legs too long and weak for walking. Immediately after emerging, the adult mayfly rises to nearby bushes or trees where it remains until the mating flight. Within a few hours to two days mating occurs. Morgan says, "The mating flight usually takes place in late afternoon or twilight. The hundreds of spinners, mostly males, swing up and down through the air in a rhythmic dancing flight over streams or lakes. With their rudder-like tails stiffly extended they drop downward in swift descents of thirty feet and more and then bound upward with the lightness of springing thistledown. Hundreds or even thousands of them move up and down together. In half an hour they have disappeared into the trees as suddenly as they came, or they are strewn upon the water to become the food of eager fishes. During this flight a dozen or so from the hundreds of males mate with the few females which almost immediately lay their eggs in the water and then die upon its surface.” At night in lake shore cities, the dead bodies of mayflies are found by the thousand, strewn upon the streets beneath the lights. They are commonly known as fish flies, shad flies, and mayflies. Eggring - It may be seen from the life-history study, that rearing wigglers is not practical because of the time required to complete the life-cycle and because of the mating habits of the insect. 25 gollggtipg - The first step in collecting large numbers of mayfly nymphs is to locate the type of bottom in which they are likely to be found. Firm muck or soft marl lake bottoms, free or nearly free from vegetation, are the most likely places to look. In streams, eddies, backwashes, and silt bars often have large numbers. Wigglers may be dug from the bottom of lakes or streams with a long handled dip net made of 1/8 or 1/4 inch mesh screen. Part of the bottom is scoOped up with the wigglers, but it may be washed free by jiggling the net up and down in the water. Nymphs too small for bait should be returned to the water for next year's crap. Operations of the type described above may be carried on from a boat in the spring or through the ice in the winter. flglding — Various methods have been successfully employed to hold wigglers. Bait dealers usually keep them in the same tanks used for minnows. A large, screened basket is often slung between the walls of the tank to facilitate the removal of nymphs. When a supply is needed, the basket is raised and the desired number scooped from the squirming mass. Mayfly nymphs require cool water high in oxygen. The constant, fine spray of well water, usually used in minnow tanks, satisfies 26 this need. Chlorinated city waters should not be usedw Bait dealers state that with the above arrangement wigglers will keep for about a week or more. If the bait is to be held for longer periods, the basket arrangement should be dispensed with. The wigglers are placed in the bottom of tanks with leaves, moss, or strips of burlap in the bottom for the insects to hide under. If this material is lacking they will swim about until exhausted, then die. Removal of bait from the tank is more difficult; but, according to bait dealers, mayfly nymphs will keep for nearly a month with this arrangement. Several tests of technics for holding wigglers were tried. Four pint jars were treated in the following manner: Jar 1, containing one inch of water, was held at a temperature of 600F.; Jar 2, with damp Sphagnum, was held at 60°F.; Jar 3, with one inch of water, was held at 34°F.; and Jar 4, held at 34°F. con— tained one inch of water and several 1/2 inch strips of paper towel— ing. Ten mayfly nymphs of the burrowing type were placed in each jar and examined every four days. The results of these tests reveal that these organisms may be kept under refrigeration for more than a month if some material is furnished for them to hide under. Without refrigeration, all of the larvae died in less 27 than a week. Those that were refrigerated but had nothing to hide under, lived a little longer than two weeks, but not nearly as long as those supplied with cover, nine of which lived more than 36 days. The results of these tests are by no means conclusive. Since the larvae were purchased from a bait dealer, their condition before the tests was not known. Bait dealers state that wigglers will not keep longer than three days during the summer under any conditions, however, no tests were run at this time of the year to confirm these claims. Quality.a§,§,§§it - Wigglers are considered one of the best winter bluegill baits. Some perch fishermen use them in the winter, and in certain areas both perch and bluegill fishermen find them a very effective summer bait. lost bait dealers handle wigglers. In the winter, when they are easiest to collect, the price is 35 cents for two dozen but in the summer 20 cents a d02en is charged. CADDIS LARVAE, TRICHOPTERA Life gigtggy - Caddis larvae may be found in fresh water streams, lakes, and ponds. To the fisherman they are known as redammites, Figure 3. "Stick caddis" within case. X 1.25 Trichoptera Figure 4. "Stick caddis” removed from case. X 1.25 Trichoptera Figure 5. "Stone caddis" within case. X 2 Trichoptera Figure 6. "Stone caddis" removed from case. X 2 TrichOptera 28 caddis, stone caddis, and stick caddis. Usually they are caterpillar—like (cruciform) in shape (Figures 3, 4, 5, and 3), and have filamentous gills attached along the sides of the abdomen. All caddis larvae have a pair of short, curved, horny hooks at the end of the abdomen that serve to anchor the worms to their cases. Three tubercles keep the body away from the inside of the case allowing free circulation of water to the gills within. Caddis larvae have a peculiar undulatory motion that keeps water flowing over these gills. Their six legs enable caddis worms to drag their case-laden bodies over the bottom, however, not all of these larvae move about. A variety of substances are utilized in the construction of the case, each species having its own preference. Sand, bits of leaves, tiny twigs, or pebbles are cemented together with silk secreted from modified salivary glands to form cases of varying shapes. When a caddis worm eutgrows its case, it may either wiggle out and build a new one or build on to the front of the old one. Larger species of caddis worms are popular as bait. According to Dobie, Meehean, and Washburn (1948), all bait species make tubular cases and may be collected from beds of wegetation, particularly water cress and cattails. The food of younger 29 larvae consists of algae and minute animal matter: later mayflies, water mites, midge larvae, small crustaceans and others are added to this diet. Morgan (1930) states that larvae continue eating up to the time of pupation, then seal the front of the case shut with building material or a silk net and ~continuing the undulatory movements of the larvae, they pupate. When the pupa living in swift streams are ready to hatch, they leave their cases, swim to the surface, shed the pupal skin, and immediately take to the air. Quiet water species climb out on the shore or projecting stones to shed their pupal skins. Adults of one species or another may hatch throughout the summer, but the majority are found in lay and June. [organ (1930) says, ”Adult caddis flies look like moths but their bodies are more slender and they are more delicately built. They are soft brown, or gray, sometimes black, very rarely bright colored. Their four wings are folded like a tent over their backs, and their thread-like antennae, often longer than their bodies, are extending far out in front of them. As in the butterflies and moths their color lies mainly in the long silky hairs and scales which cover their wings and soft bodies.” With the exception of the palpi, mouth parts of adults are vestigial, and no food is eaten during this stage of their lives. Caddis flies are not found far from water and are seldom seen during the day. At night they are attracted in large numbers 30 to artificial lights near the water. Egg laying usually takes place in the summer at which time gelatinous masses of eggs are attached to submerged stones, twisted about aduatic vegetation, or sticks. In some species females go underwater to lay their eggs but others lay them on objects near the pond or stream, forcing the larvae to make its way to the water when it hatches. Eggs are round or slightly oval in shape; each species has its characteristic way of arranging the egg in the gelatinous mass. They hatch within a few weeks, after which the larvae spend the winter feeding and growing in the water. Beaging - No technic has been devised. Igoldigg - lost bait dealers keep their caddis larvae under the same conditions that minnows are kept. The larvae within its case is placed in a tank of water oxygenated by a fine spray. Bait dealers agree that caddis larvae will live about a week this way before great losses are noticeable. Laboratory experi- ments indicate that this is not the most efficient method for holding baits of this type. Ten caddis larvae were placed in a pint jar with one inch of water. The jar was then held under refrigeration at a temperature of 34°F. Examinations were made 31 every four days to determine the loss during that length of time. Nearly a month passed before a single death was recorded; the last two were found dead after 44 days; the average length of time the ten larvae were held was 30 days. Since such a small number of larvae were tested, the results of this test are of value only as a prediction of what might be expected. To determine how long caddis larvae will keep without reduced temperatures or the addition of oxygen, ten larvae were placed in a pint jar with one inch of water and were held at 00°F. Examinations made every day showed considerable loss as early as the second day and a total loss by the fourth day. The caddis larvae used in both tests were purchased from a bait dealer; and although their condition was not known, all appeared to be duite lively. Qgglity fig 5 gait - Caddis larvae are an excellent bait for bluegills and other panfish both winter and summer; but, by far the greatest demand is in the winter. A few people use them on trout with some success. The current price of caddis larvae in the Lansing area is 20 cents a dozen. Figure 7. Dorsal view of "hellgrammite". X 1.25 Corydalis cornutus ~Figure 8. Ventral view of "hellgrammite". X 1.25 Corydalis cornutus 32 BELLGRAHIITES, Qorydalis cornuta ,Lifg fiistogy - Hellgrammites are the larval form of Dobson— flies (Corydalis cornuta). To the fisherman they are commonly known as crawlers, hellgrammites, dobsons, grampus, snipper, clipper, and bass bait. These larvae inhabit fast flowing streams where they are found in the swiftest part beneath stones. [organ (1930) says, ”Ihen fullgrown they are two or three inches long with dark brown, rough looking skin, and large jaws which extend lustily at the slightest irritation. Their bodies are flattened and Sprawling and there is a tuft of white hair-like gills at the base of each of the lateral appendages on the first seven abdominal segments." (Figures 7 and 8) This voracious-looking, six-legged creature feeds on mayflies, stoneflies and other aquatic insect larvae. In may or June of their third year the.he11grammite reaches maturity and crawls out of the stream to pupate beneath a log or stone. After about ten days, the adult emerges. Its cinnamon brown body is covered dorsally by two pairs of wings lying flat across the back of the insect. These have a span of four to five inches and are spotted with grayish white markings. The mandibles of females are short and stubby; those of males are tusk-like, and are three times the length of the head. They are used during mating to hold the female. Adults are short—lived, 33 probably not living more than a week (Wickliff, 1937). Morgan (1930) states that although they have strong jaws adults eat no food. A short time after adults emerge egg laying occurs. Eggs are placed on stickes and stones just above the water in a single chalky white mass not more than an inch in diameter ' but often containing more than 2,000 eggs. Newly hatched larvae either fall or crawl to the water where they Spend the next two years and eleven months. This species may be found throughout Eastern United States and Southwest to the kooky Mountains. Collgctigg - To collect hellgrammites, a fine mesh net is placed in a stream known to have the species; and rocks are turned over upstream from the net; larvae, hiding under the stones, are then washed into the not by the current (Dobie, leehean, and'Iashburn, 1948). gearigg - The length of time required for Dobson-flies to complete their life cycle makes rearing impractical. Inglgigg - Bait dealers keep hellgrammites in tanks similar to those used for holding minnows. Oxygenation is necessary and may be supplied by a spray of water or by bubbling air into the tank. Food is usually supplied in the form of meat scraps or 34 chopped fish. Food scraps should not be allowed to accumulate because the products of their decomposition have a toxic affect on the larvae. Overcrowding induces cannibalism. Bait dealers state that hellgrammites held under the above conditions will live more than a month. Fishermen wishing to keep a small supply on hand may do so by placing them under refrigeration in a small container of water or damp moss. To determine how long hellgrammites will keep under such conditions five larvae were placed in each of two pint jars and held at a temperature of 34°F. Jar 1 con- tained one inch of water, Jar 2 was two-thirds full of damp moss. The results of this test showed that both methods are suitable for holding hellgrammites and that the larvae may be kept for the same length of time under either condition. The minimum holding time was 31 days, the maximum 49 days, and the average for the ten larvae was 39 1/2 days. Qgglity fig 3 B513; - Hellgrammites are an excellent bass bait and often command a high price (60 to 85 cents a dozen in the Lansing area). Their only drawback is that when used in a lake or stream they cling to any debris on the bottom.that they come in contact with. Figure 9. Rat-tail maggot Syrphidae 35 RAT-TAIL mooo'r, SYBPHIDAE L112 3123211 — Several larvae of the family Syrphidae are refered to as rat—tail maggots because of their tail—like posterior breathing tube. To the ice fishermen they are known as mousies. For the most part this long-tailed type is found in liquid manure or the foul stagnant water of ditches and watering troughs. [allogg has been found by Metcalf (1913) in rotten wood. Adults of the rat-tail maggot like other Syrphidae may be found on sunny days buzzing like bees around flowers. They feed on nectar and pollen, and in the early spring may be seen mating in the air or on the leaves of flowers. Eristalis s ., according to Hetcalf (1913), hovers over the surface of the liquid depositing her eggs side by side in large masses. The eggs of Eristalis 523;; are 1.6 mm. long, .4 mm. in diameter, elongate and ovoid. They are chalk—white, slightly bent, and have rounding ends. Within 24 hours they hatch into larvae scarcely longer than the egg except for the posterior respiratory appendage. This larvae is sub-cylindrical but attenuated at the posterior end to the breathing tube (Figure 9). A prominent dorsal hump may be found in the posterior third of the body. nature larvae are 20 mm. long and have antennae, prolegs, 36 tracheal trunks, and other larval structures. letcalf (1913) says,TBThe mouth parts of the larva are located internal to a hood§like, striated, chitinous termination of the oesophageal framework.” There is an absence of hard external parts, the opening being a soft fleshy buccal cavity with flaps or lips usedbto create a current of water toward the mouth. While crawling about on bottom, larvae obtain air through their telescOpic "tails”. Ealand (1921) states that the three segmented, telescopic tail can be extended as much as five inches. At the tip of the tail is a circlet of bristles, wherein may be found the spiracles in communication with the maggots respiratory apparatus. Trying to keep the circlet of hair floating at the surface the larvae travels about the bottom lengthening or contracting the “tail" as water depth changes. Different species have different numbers of prolegs. According to letcalf (1913), g. tea; has 8, 5. gm 7, ,5..§;hg§§g;g3 7, and genus Helophilgg 6. letcalf (1916) lists five genera as being of the long tail filth inhabiting type: ggigtalis, gingia, gropigia, gyritta, and flglophilis. Generally speaking the color of these larvae is dirty, grayish-brown; the integument translucent and flexible. Food consists of 37 what decayed organic matter can be carried in by the stream of water created by the motion of the buccal flaps or lips. About the middle of September, the larvae buries itself in soft mud. It forms a small dome in the mud above it, then pupates for a period of 10 to 14 days. Length of the puparium is 8 to 10 mm., height 3 to 4.5 mm., and width 3.5 to 4.5 mm. The shape is elongate—ovoid, much like that of the larvae but shorter and dorsally inflated. Color of the puparium with the enclosed pupa is dark brown. Adult,§,,tgg§§ are abundant from early spring to late autumn. The larvae may be found for only a slightly shorter period of time. It is not known in which stage they pass the winter. ,§.,£gga; is cosmopolitan, but other species are Inmited in distribution. gollggtigg - lousies can be collected with a fine mesh net or screen in any highly polluted, stagnant water. Bait dealers in the Lansing area buy their mousies from a wholesale concern in southern Ohio where they are collected from the slough of a canning factory. It would be possible for these local bait dealers to collect their own in the fall and hold them until the winter fishing season if they desired to do so; but it is more convenient to purchase them. 38 gearing - A practical means of rearing mousies artificially is not known, but natural conditions may be set up in which eggs will be laid and larvae developed. These conditions, however, are far from sanitary. An abundance of manure or rotted vegetation placed in a pond or in an outdoor tank will soon be teeming with life among which will be found rat—tail maggots. Certain noxious flies and mosquitos are also fond of this type of habitat, however. flaggigg - Bait dealers keep their mousies in saw dust usually in a damp basement, since they are prone to dry out. In an attempt to hold larvae beyond their natural hatching date, ten were placed under refrigeration at 34°F. on February 20. Ten others were held in a damp walkin locker at a constant temperature of 60°F. After six days, it was observed that five of the maggots held at 60°F. had pupated and two were already in the adult stage. Within the next two days, two more pupated and the remaining one was found dead. Only one more hatched out, the rest evidently died as pupa. Those held at 34°F. did not keep as well as most insect larvae do at that temperature. After two weeks, two of the larvae pupated and by April 22 signs of shriveling were observed. By lay 4 all were dead. 39 ,Qnaligng§,g Bait - lousies are considered a good winter bait for bluegills and other panfish. They sell for about 20 cents a dozen. WAXWORI, Qallaria mellonella Life gigtory - Waxworms are the larvae of a moth known as the beemoth or waxmothOhio Biol. Surv. Vol. IV No. 2 Bull. 17: pp. 47-90 Paddock, F. B. 1918 The beemoth or waxworm. Texas Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull. 231: 38 pp. Pearse, A. S. 1909 The crawfishes of Michigan. Mich. Geol. and Biol. Survey. Pub. 1: pp. 5-22 Pennak, Robert W. 1953 Fresh-Water Invertebrates 2f the United States. Ronald Press Co., New York: 769 pp. 117 Phillips, Verria Tarris 1946 The biology and identification of trypetid larvae. Mem. of the Amer. Ento. Soc. No. 12: 161 pp. Shepherd, "Shep" 1953 How to grow your own worms. Sports Afield Fishing Annual: pp. 111—114 Smith, T. L. 1937 Laboratory breeding of the European corn borer, Pyrousta nubilalis. In Culture Methods for Invertebrate Animals. Comstock Pub. Co. Inc. Ithaca, New York: pp. 352—355 1937 Breeding methods for Gallaria mellonella. In Culture Methods for Invertebrate Animals. Comstock Pub. Co. Inc. Ithaca, New York: pp. 343—352 Storer, Tracy I. 1943 Genergl Zoology. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. New York and London 798 pp. Swingle, H. S. and D. G. Sturkie 1947 Raising fishworms for bait. Agr. Expt. Sta. Alabama Polytechnic Institute: 2 pp. Warburton, Cecil 1922 The warble flies of cattle, Hypoderma bovis and g. lineatum. Parasitology Vol. 14: pp. 322-341 Weigel, Robert and Eleanor Dilks 1950 The ball gall of goldenrod as laboratory material. Turtox News Vol. 28. No. 8: pp. 134—138 ..J 118 Wickliff, E. L. 1937 The hellgrammite. In bait culturists guide. Ohio Dept. of Agr. Bull. 137: 18 pp. Wise, William H. and Co. 1951 The Wise Fisherman's Encyclopedia. Wm. H. Wise and Co., Inc. New York .. . w) ..i. ..1 . .1. . . I. b . ‘9 x 1 a 0.. .in . L .. . .. . .....W....I.A1*. .... ...; b.)- 3’. .. ‘5. . . .. a . a ..p. .. .. t . _ .. . N.M1‘“n Nu“. . . _ .. 71.. . ..... ... c: .l ... . . ~.~I OJ'W In 5.”...113. .11.”: 4 0.. . . Q . . . . :5 n. 'V ..mha a .. 1......» .ufiy. Lyme. tr.,~r$mw\ 3. . . W.;. .t . 1 R.) . . ... 9:001 . I 11‘“). .u...‘ \ w ... . .. 1.../Tu .. . . Ce... .. 71......ww. . . than“... \ .‘ . _ 00.x ..- .. . . . . ... 1“” . p1..r . . .) .... . . . $.(. .t. ..\3 .H.. J... #7 . a 11% ~.. A”. ..T‘ a . . .ol. ... .. . a . . 91. t. .V . . . . . a .... _ . . 11.....- 33...... 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