I found this insect in the snow. What is it?
—Julia Roy
It’s either a Winter Stonefly (family name “Taeniopterygidae”) or a Small Winter Stonefly (family name “Capniidae”); it’s hard to know which one for sure based on the photo alone. You’ll see the adults in winter and spring, when there is still snow on the ground, usually near streams and the lower parts of river systems. Stoneflies are a good sign—researchers say they indicate healthy water.
