On 22 Dec 2002 at 21:32, Monte Smith wrote: > Okay, I'll have a go at it: > 1. Gas bubble used by caddisflies on their ascent to the surface to > hatch. Gary's reasoning for using the antron yarn (and it's specific > properties) on his Deep and Emergent Sparkle Pupas. > http://www.virtualflybox.com/f0200/f0223.html 2. Gas bubble formed by > the egg-laying caddis (plastron respiration, I believe it's called) > for the descent through the water column on its mission. Gary's > reasoning for using a splash of clear antron on top of the wing for > his Diving Caddis: http://www.virtualflybox.com/f0200/f0229.html 3. > Bubble or "aura" formed by the hatching mayfly as it cracks the > wingcase (releasing gases) and begins emergence in the meniscus. > Relevant patterns: the Halo mayfly Emerger. > http://www.virtualflybox.com/f0200/f0226.html or my Bubble Boy: > http://community.webshots.com/photo/54583647/57679249GXGxOb 4. One > application for which I use Krystal Flash is to simulate movement - > the fluttering of wings, for example: > http://community.webshots.com/photo/54583647/54583908FpujQL Another > application is for the wings on spent spinners, perhaps mixed with > another material so as not to over-do the effect. So really, Krystal > Flash and other assorted sparkley stuff - they're not just for minnows > anymore. ;-) Happy Holidays! Monte
Monte, I am not disputing the fact that shiny beads or shimmering antron has made for some very effective patterns, but I do have my doubts about the bubble issue. Gary LaFontaine came up with the gaseous bubble theory in his book Caddisflies, and many other agling authors have picked up on the issue and repeated this theory to the point it seems to have become an undisputed fact? Interestingly enough no entomologist I have talked to, no entomological text I have read, no photograph I have ever seen bears out this theory and shows a visible bubble. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Talking to Doug Swisher he told me that while he and Carl Richards have taken over two thousand photographes of caddis pupa, not a single one has shown any evidence of a shimmering bubble. Gary's own book Caddisflies has a large number of photographs, yet there is not a single bit of photographic proof offered which shows the bubble. Surely if this bubble is such a prominent and visible feature on the emergent caddis one would expect a bit more supporting evidence, such as a clear photograph? Hans bubble doubter but open to consider evidence to the contrary
