Identifying the Macroinvertebrates

Benthic macroinvertebrates are those organisms that live in and on the streambed that do not have a backbone and are large enough to see without a microscope. While there are many species of critters that we could find, the VA SOS program looks at 19 main orders or families that are widespread in Virginia. Many of these organisms are insect larvae, the adults of which are terrestrial (live on land). In addition to your initial training session, there are numerous places to review the critters you are likely to find:

* Review the VA SOS Macroinvertebrate Training Session

* Field Guide to Freshwater Invertebrates of North America - Available soon from the University of Nebraska Press: 1-800-755-1105. Note: Check back here for more information about this publication.

* On-Line Keys to Macroinvertebrate Identification (not VA SOS sponsored)

* The National Izaak Walton League of America Save Our Streams Program uses many of the same organisms as VA SOS does. Their on-line key is available at http://www.people.virginia.edu/~sos-iwla/Stream-Study/Key/MacroKeyIntro.HTML

* George Mason University also has an identification site that uses many of the same organisms, complete with color pictures. It's located at http://osf1.gmu.edu/~avia/page1.htm

* New York State Department of Environmental Conservation also has a very nice web site with order and family level pictures of macroinvertebrates. It is located at http://www.dec.state.ny.us/dow/stream/index.htm