Hector the Hellgrammite: The Life Cycle of a Dobsonfly

Have you ever stood over and looked into a stream? What is that crawling beneath the water? Hector is an insect living in such a stream in the Sierra Nevada mountains. This story follows the life cycle of Hector the Hellgrammite. He is one of many benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) insects that thrive in healthy mountain streams. BMI’s like Hector are important indicators of the environmental health because they can live and develop for one to two years in streams. Hector survives two years as a predator searching for other aquatic insects to eat. As he moves about the bottom of the stream, he must grab on to rocks, hide in crevices, always avoiding strong water currents that might carry him downstream into the mouth of a trout. Hector must survive!
Hector the Hellgrammite discovers other aquatic insects while searching for food and shelter. He must overcome natural events such as forest fires, droughts, floods, and seasons that alter his habitat. Hector is attacked and bitten by other macroinvertebrates. After interacting with every kind of insect with whom he shares the mountain stream, Hector is then threatened by humans.
Most aquatic insect guide books merely show lateral and ventral pictures; discuss anatomy and how to identify; introduce Family names without ANY context. Hector the Hellgrammite is quite unique by using a storyline to engage the reader. When Hector is interacting with other macroinvertebrates, identifying information, physical features, common and scientific names, and habitat is also included on each page. Hector the Hellgrammite is a combined genre of guidebook and fiction/adventure.