Phenology of Adult Stoneflies (Plecoptera) of the Curone Stream (Northern Apennines, Italy)

ABSTRACT

We studied the flight periods of 16 stonefly species from Curone stream (northern Apennines, Italy) and grouped them into four categories according to their flight periods—autumnal (Protonemura salfii and Leuctra major,) autumnal-winter (Leuctra fusca and Leuctra hexacantha,) winter-spring (Leuctra hippopus and Leuctra subalpina,) and spring (Besdolus ravizzarum, Isoperla grammatica, Perla grandis, Perla marginata, Brachyptera risi, Amphinemura sulcicollis, Protonemura intricata, Nemoura hesperiae, Capnioneura nemuroides, and Leuctra handlirschi; probably D. cephalotes can also be added to this category, although no adults were observed). Among the adults, L. fusca was the most abundant species, while C. nemuroides was the rarest. There was partial temporal segregation in the flight periods. In general, the male flight period, at least in some species, occurred slightly in advance of the female flight period.