When are Terrestrial Beetles most available to trout?

June–September, typically All day. It picks up from about 8°C, peaks around 18°C and tails off by 28°C.

What flies imitate Terrestrial Beetles?

Black & Peacock Spider, Foam Beetle, Coch-y-bonddu, typically on a #12–10 hook.

How big are Terrestrial Beetles?

Adult stage: 10–14mm. That matches a #12–10 hook.

Terrestrial · Terrestrial

Terrestrial Beetles

Cantharis livida

Size

10–14mm

Hook size

#12–10

Hatch window

Season June–SeptemberPeak time All day

Water temperature

18° peak

8°28°

How fish feed on it

Nothing about a beetle or an ant belongs in the water, which is rather the point — once it's in, it isn't getting out, and a trout that's spent all summer learning this doesn't need convincing twice. The takes tend to be confident and unhurried, especially along undercut banks and under overhanging branches where windfall has been landing for as long as the tree's been there.

Flies that imitate this

Black & Peacock Spider

Foam Beetle

Coch-y-bonddu

Ecology

Rivers & stillwaterAlpine riversLowland riversTolerates 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

Identification

Cantharis livida is a species of soldier beetle belonging to the genus Cantharis family Cantharidae.