However as horrifying as they might seem, they’re among the many extra innocuous insect larvae you might be prone to see in Maine.
Discovered below rocks in rivers or streams, hellgrammites are the larval stage of dobsonflies, which seem equally ferocious.
“It’s a very nasty wanting critter,” mentioned Jim Dill, pest administration specialist with College of Maine Cooperative Extension. “The male is a very unusual wanting critter with two lengthy mandibles out in entrance that may be an inch lengthy [and] within the insect state the physique will be 2 1/2 inches lengthy with inch-long mandibles.”
Advertisement
With its measurement and deadly wanting pincers, dobsonflies solely look scary. They’re truly indicators of unpolluted water and make a wonderful bait for bass fishing in Maine. Credit score: Courtesy of Griffin Dill
Seems apart, dobsonfly larvae are most likely finest referred to as among the finest baits for bass fishing in Maine. Moreover, they solely stay in clear, pollution-free river water, making them a fantastic indicator species of the water’s high quality.
Dobsonfly larvae play an vital function in measuring water high quality in Maine, in accordance with Jeanne DiFranco, aquatic biologist and supervisor of the Maine Division of Environmental Safety’s organic monitoring program, due largely to its predatory nature and the way lengthy it stays within the larval stage — as much as three years.
“Being longer lived means they’re within the water for an extended time period,” DiFranco mentioned. “Which means they’ll combine the results of any air pollution sources over that time period.”
That, and the truth that a hellgrammite is consuming different issues that stay in the identical water, would permit any pollution to build up in its personal physique over time.
“If the larva is there for 3 years and nonetheless thriving, that’s a superb factor,” DiFranco mentioned. “The water needs to be of fine high quality over that time period.”
Grownup dobsonflies don’t feed in any respect, in accordance with Dill. However the hellgrammites catch and eat small fish, different insect larvae and just about anything that wanders by that they’ll catch with their sharp mandibles.
Advertisement
“They’re a prime predator within the bug world,” DiFranco mentioned. “They’re constructed for looking.”
Regardless of these vicious-looking pincer attachments, hellgrammites pose little menace to people. They are going to attempt to chunk if they’re harassed and people pincers can pierce the pores and skin, however the bites aren’t dangerous.
“These mandibles are principally for present and, on the males, for tussling with different males for mating,” Dill mentioned. “I’ve dealt with them earlier than and have by no means been bitten, however I’m cautious as a result of even when I get bitten by chance, it might be painful.”
With its measurement and deadly wanting pincers, dobsonflies solely look scary. They’re truly indicators of unpolluted water and make a wonderful bait for bass fishing in Maine. Credit score: Courtesy of Griffin Dill
DiFranco mentioned she’s by no means been bitten, however did have one latch on to her finger one time and mentioned it was with spectacular power.
Hellgrammites was generally bought in bait retailers round Maine, however Dill mentioned that stopped when gross sales started depleting the pure populations of the larvae. In the present day, devoted bass fishermen spend time turning over rocks to gather their very own.
“These critters are a part of our ecosystem,” Dill mentioned. “They’re an vital a part of the meals chain and a reasonably good meal for fish and different critters.”
Erik Stevenson was fouled making a 3-pointer and completed the four-point play with 3.5 seconds left to lift the Capital City Go-Go to a 96-93 win over the Maine Celtics on Sunday at the Portland Expo.
Stevenson finished with 36 points for Capital City. Ruben Nembhard Jr. added 13 points. 14 rebounds and seven assists, while Michael Foster Jr. had 14 points.
Ron Harper Jr. had 21 points and six rebounds for the Celtics. JD Davison added 11 points and 10 assists, while Baylor Scheierman finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Drew Peterson scored 18 for Maine.
This story was originally published in December 2022.
Jerry Galusha and his best friend, Doug Cooke, share a friendship that dates back to 1984, when they were living in Rangeley and were introduced by mutual friends.
Over the years, they have often gone fishing or deer hunting, activities they both have enjoyed immensely.
“The relationship that we have is just unbelievable,” Galusha said. “We’ve had some really amazing adventures.”
Advertisement
This fall, Galusha was confronted with a heart-wrenching task. He would take Cooke into the woods, one last time, in search of a big buck.
The difference was that this time they would not be walking the tote roads and trails together. Instead, Galusha would be carrying Cooke’s cremains in his backpack.
Cooke died on Sept. 5 at age 61 after a long struggle with renal failure. Galusha said after 40 years of dialysis or living with a transplanted kidney, Cooke opted to cease treatment and enter hospice care when his third transplant failed.
Doctors had originally told Cooke he would be lucky to celebrate his 30th birthday. Thus, he tried all his life to avoid getting too emotionally attached to people. He seldom asked anyone for favors.
Cooke and Galusha hadn’t seen each other much in recent years as Galusha focused on raising a family. But in late August, Cooke left a voicemail for Galusha explaining that he planned to enter hospice care.
Advertisement
Cooke told Galusha he didn’t need to do anything, but wanted him to know. He did not want to become a burden to anyone else.
“His body was telling him that he’s had enough,” Galusha said. “He couldn’t golf. He couldn’t play his guitar. He hadn’t been hunting in years.”
The late Doug Cooke of Rangeley is shown with a buck he shot many years ago. Cooke’s best friend, Jerry Galusha, is honoring Cooke’s last wishes by taking his ashes on hunting and fishing excursions. Credit: Courtesy of Jerry Galusha
Galusha couldn’t let it end like that. In spite of Cooke’s reluctance to have his old friend see him in such poor health, he went to visit him.
But as Cooke faced his own mortality, he asked one favor of Galusha.
“He said, ‘Promise me one thing, could you please, just one time, take me in to Upper Dam to go fishing before you dump my ashes?’” Galusha said.
Advertisement
The dam separates Mooselookmeguntic (Cupsuptic) Lake and Richardson Lake north of Rangeley. It was a favorite spot of theirs, one Cooke introduced to Galusha, who grew up in New York.
“He really loved the wilderness and Rangeley,” Galusha said of Cooke, who was a Vermont native.
Galusha immediately said yes but, knowing how much Cooke also enjoyed hunting, he didn’t feel as though the fishing trip was enough to adequately honor his friend.
“I said, I’m going to take you for the whole deer season, every time I go,” Galusha said. “He looked at me and started crying and said, ‘That would be so awesome.’
“It was hard. We cried and hugged each other,” he said.
Advertisement
When Galusha went deer hunting near his home in Rangeley during the third week of November — a week the two buddies often spent together over the years — he tried his best to make it like old times.
Galusha spared no effort. He carried the cardboard urn containing Cooke’s cremains inside a camouflage can, which was wrapped with a photo showing Cooke posing with a nice buck he had harvested many years earlier.
He also packed Cooke’s blaze orange hat and vest, along with his grunt tube, compass, doe bleat can, deer scents and a set of rattling antlers.
Galusha chronicled the events of each hunting day by posting to Cooke’s Facebook page, complete with observations, recollections and photos.
Lots of deer were seen and there was one encounter with a buck, but after missing initially, Galusha refused to take a bad shot as the deer was partially obscured by undergrowth.
Advertisement
“I just did what Doug would have done. He’s not going to shoot and I wasn’t going to shoot,” Galusha said.
He spoke reverently about Cooke’s resilience through the years in the face of his constant battle with health problems, which included not only kidney failure, dialysis and transplants, but four hip replacements and, eventually, a heart attack.
Jerry Galusha carried the cremains of his best friend, Doug Cooke, along with several items of Cooke’s hunting gear, on hunts this fall. Credit: Courtesy of Jerry Galusha
The arrival of muzzleloader season provided one more week to hunt. On Friday, Dec. 2, Galusha walked more than 3 miles along a gated road to an area where he had seen deer a week earlier.
That got him off the beaten track, away from other potential hunters, something Cooke would have appreciated.
“He wasn’t afraid to go do stuff,” Galusha said. “It might take us a little bit longer, but he didn’t care.”
Galusha, who still often refers to Cooke in the present tense, said he vocalized some of his reflections while in the woods. He saw eagles, which he thought might be Cooke keeping an eye on him.
Advertisement
“I talked to him a lot,” Galusha said, who also enjoyed telling the handful of hunters he encountered that he was not out alone, rather with his friend.
He then explained the story of his promise to Cooke and reverently removed the urn from his pack to show them.
When Galusha finally saw the buck, it wasn’t quite close enough. He uses one of Cooke’s favorite tactics to coax the deer closer.
Galusha tried the grunt tube, and then the doe bleat can, but the deer didn’t seem to hear it. Then, he blew harder on the grunt tube and finally got the buck’s attention.
“I irked one right in, that’s what Doug would say,” said Galusha, recalling Cooke’s affection for using the alternating calls.
Advertisement
The spikehorn turned and walked directly at Galusha, who shot it.
“I cried,” he said of the moment, recalling that Cooke had been there when he shot his first antlered deer, also a spikehorn.
During the long drag back to his truck, Galusha had plenty of time to think about how much Cooke would have enjoyed the hunt — and watching him make the drag.
At one point, a crew of loggers had approached.
“I was pointing to the sky saying, ‘We got it done,’ shaking my hand,” Galusha said. “A guy came up behind me and said, ‘You all set?’ and I’m like, yup.”
Advertisement
Cooke and Galusha had lived together for 10 years at one point, but they also had gone long periods without talking with each other. Even so, whenever they were reunited it was as if they had never been apart.
The last few visits were difficult. Cooke’s health was failing, but Galusha just wanted to be there for his buddy.
“It was emotional,” said Galusha, who was present when Cooke died. “I held his hand to his last breath.”
Next spring, hopefully when the fish are biting and the bugs aren’t, Galusha will grant Cooke — who he described as a fabulous fisherman — his final wish by taking him fishing at Upper Dam, just like they used to do.
“I’m thinking maybe around his birthday [July 19]. It might be sooner, depending on how buggy it is,” said Galusha, who expects to make more than one excursion with Cooke.
Advertisement
Galusha said he will know when it’s time to say goodbye.
“I really don’t want to let him go, but I promised him I would, so I will,” he said.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25739950/247386_Elon_Musk_Open_AI_CVirginia.jpg "Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI")
