When does the Black Midge hatch?

January–December, typically 10:00–16:00. It starts from about 4°C, peaks around 8°C and tails off by 14°C.

What flies imitate the Black Midge?

Griffith's Gnat, Díptero Negro, Little Black Spider, typically on a #24–22 hook.

How big is the Black Midge?

Adult stage: 2–3mm. That matches a #24–22 hook.

Midge · Aquatic insect

Black Midge

Dasineura rubiformis

Size

2–3mm

Hook size

#24–22

Hatch window

Season January–DecemberPeak time 10:00–16:00

Water temperature

8° peak

4°14°

How fish feed on it

The adult midge matters far less than the pupa did, which is worth knowing before you spend an evening on it. Once it's up and dry it mostly leaves, and trout that were hard on ascending pupae an hour earlier will ignore the finished article. The exception is the egg-layers coming back to the water, and the spent ones lying in the surface film afterwards — both worth a look when fish are sipping in flat calm and nothing else explains it.

Flies that imitate this

Griffith's Gnat

Díptero Negro

Little Black Spider

Ecology

Rivers & stillwaterReservoirsTailwatersLimestone loughsTolerates poor water

Where you'll find this

British IslesPresent
IberiaPresent
The AlpsPresent
ScandinaviaPresent
Continental EuropePresent
Atlantic fringePresent
North America — WestPresent
North America — EastPresent
East AsiaPresent
New ZealandPresent
PatagoniaPresent

Present throughout

Buzzers & Diptera →