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Illinois Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT species) are relatively well known due to state monographs, recent extensive collections, and vast, digitized research collections at the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS). The Illinois Wildlife Action Plan (IWAP) seeks to protect a “Watchlist” of 72 EPT species in its IWAP: E: 29, P: 24, T:19. Objectives are to sample historical and new locations, define habitat requirements, upgrade status to no concern or NatureServe state “S” rankings. Sampling focuses on adults, larvae where necessary, in multiple seasons keeping all EPT bycatch. Museum specimens were examined to find more locations and verify identifications. Limited DNA barcoding was used to help identify species, associate unidentifiable immatures, and build the barcode library. Sampling through May 2022 yielded , completing 407 collecting events at 258 unique locations. Numerically, 421 EPT are known from Illinois, we have collected 288 species, including nearly 20 new state records. To date, we confirm the presence of 44 of 72 Watchlist EPT species in Illinois, refute the suggested extirpations of the stoneflies Attaneuria ruralis (Perlidae) and Isogenoides varians (Perlodidae), report the extirpation of several large river species of Hydropsyche, and suspect that six of 9 Watchlisted Ephemerellidae species to have been lost from the state. Our efforts identify many more EPT worthy of SGCN status, including new state records. Establishment of state level conservation ranks (SCGN and S ratings) is planned for Watchlist and several other EPT species during summer 2022. |
