- This event has passed.
Friends of the Rouge Winter Stonefly Search
January 20 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
In the winter we hold a Stonefly Search that is similar to the Bug Hunts except we only look for one type of bug. Stoneflies are very sensitive aquatic insects that hatch from streams in winter. See a map of sites that have been surveyed for stoneflies and results. To learn more about our Stonefly Searches, how to identify stoneflies and what we find, view the Stonefly Refresher.
To register, visit https://therouge.org/bug-hunt-events-and-trainings/.
Additional Parameters Collected
In 2020, we began partnering with the Izaak Walton League of America’s Salt Watch program and began testing Stonefly Search sites for road salt. Aquatic life in freshwater streams declines as salinity increases. After finding high levels at many sites in January, we added spring and fall testing to help determine the background level of chloride. Stream quality index scores declined as salt levels increased (2021 Spring Bug Hunt Report).
In 2023, we added testing for nitrates and nitrates to our monitoring events once it was offered by the Izaac Walton League as “Nitrate Watch.” Human activities have increased the amount of this essential nutrient going into our streams, mainly from fertilizers, manure and sewage. Excessive nitrate causes harmful algal blooms that threaten the health of the watershed and its inhabitants. Check out the Nitrate Watch Map.