Hilsenhoff Biotic Index Tolerance Values by Species
Willliam L. Hilsenhoff (UW Madison) developed the Improved biotic tolerance values for stream arthropods in 1987, and his HBI tolerance values are still used today. Hilsenhoff used data from more than 2000 samples collected in the 1979-1980 cooperative study with the Wisconsin DNR to reevaluate the tolerance values by comparing the tolerance values of each species with the average biotic index value of streams where that species was commonly found. Below are biotic tolerance species values for the more common aquatic macroinvertebrate orders found in our cold-water streams and that are important to fly fishermen.
How to Use This
The tolerance values to organic pollution go from 0-10 and each macroinvertebrate genus or species (taxon) is assigned a value, with 0 representing highly sensitive to pollution and 10 being very low sensitivity to pollution. For example: Ephemerella subvaria (Hendrickson mayfly) has a value of "1", meaning it is very intolerant to organic pollution. Note: the species are listed by their scientific names to avoid confusion.
Definition: spp. - means there are more than one species of the same genus found within our streams, and often the species are not easily identified or cannot be identified. For the HBI, each species in the genus has the same tolerance value.
To learn more about Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI), see: Measuring the Health of a Trout Stream using the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index.
EPHEMEROPTERA HBI Tolerance Values (Mayflies)
Ameletus spp. 0
Arthroplea bipunctata 5
Attenella attenuata 3
Baetis brunneicolor 4
Baetis flavistriga 4
Baetis frondalis = Labiobaetis frondalis 5
Baetis hageni = Diphetor hageni 5
Baetis intercalaris 6
Baetis longipalpus = Labiobaetis longipalpus 5
Baetis propinquus = Labiobaetis propinquus 6
Baetis pygmaeus = Acerpenna pygmaea 4
Baetis tricaudatus 2
Baetisca lacustris 5
Baetisca laurentina 3
Baetisca obesa 5
Brachycercus spp. 3
Caenis spp.7
Callibaetis spp. 9
Choroterpes basalis 2
Cloeon alamance = Neocloeon alamance 2
Dannella lita 4
Dannella simplex 2
Drunella spp. 0
Epeorus vitreus 0
Ephemera simulans 1
Ephemerella dorothea dorothea 1
Ephemerella excrucians 2
Ephemerella invaria 1
Ephemerella needhami 2
Ephemerella aurivillii 0
Ephemerella subvaria 1
Ephoron spp 2
Eurylophella aestiva 5
Eurylophella bicolor 1
Eurylophella funeralis 0
Eurylophella lutulenta 0
Eurylophella temporalis 5
Habrophlebiodes americana 6
Heptagenia diabasia = Heptagenia elegantula 3
Heptagenia flavescens 4
Heptagenia hebe = Leucrocuta hebe 0
Heptagenia pulla 0
Heptagenia nixe = Nixe lucidipennis 0
Heterocloeon curiosum 2
Hexagenia spp. 6
Isonychia spp. 2
Leptophlebia spp. 4
Leucrocuta spp. 1
Litobrancha recurvata 6
Maccaffertium exiguum 5
Maccaffertium mediopunctatum 3
Stenonema mexicanum = Maccaffertium mexicanum 4
Stenonema modestum = Maccaffertium modestum 1
Stenonema pulchellum = Maccaffertium pulchellum 3
Stenonema terminatum = Maccaffertium terminatum 4
Stenonema vicarium = Maccaffertium vicarium 2
Neoleptophlebia spp 1
Nixe spp. 2
Paraleptophlebia spp. 1
Pentagenia vittigera 6
Pseudiron centralis 5
Potamanthus Spp. = Anthopotamus Spp. 4
Pseudocloeon carolina = Acentrella turbida 2
Rhithrogena spp. 0
Serratella spp. 2
Siphlonurus spp. 7
Siphloplecton spp. 2
Stenonema femoratum 5
Stenacron interpunctatum 7
Tricorythodes spp. 4
PLECOPTERA HBI Tolerance Values (Stoneflies)
Acroneuria spp. 0
Agnetina spp. 2
Allocapnia spp. 3
Alloperla spp. 0
Amphinemura delosa 3
Amphinemura linda 0
Attaneuria ruralis 1
Clioperla clio 1
Haploperla brevis 1
Isogenoides spp. 0
Isoperla frisoni 0
Isoperla richardsoni 2
Isoperla signata 2
Isoperla bilineata 4
Isoperla clio 1
Isoperla cotta 1
Isoperla dicala 2
Isoperla lata 0
Isoperla marlynia 4
Isoperla nana 5
Isoperla slossonae 2
Isoperla transmarina 0
Leuctra spp. 0
Nemoura trispinosa 1
Neoperla stewarti 1
Oemopteryx glacialis 1
Paracapnia angulata 1
Paragnetina media 1
Perlesta spp. 5
Perlinella spp. 1
Prostoia completa 1
Pteronarcys spp. 0
Shipsa rotunda 2
Soyedina vallicularia 0
Strophopteryx fasciata 3
Taeniopteryx spp. 2
TRICHOPTERA HBI Tolerance Values (Caddisflies)
Agapetus spp. 0
Agarodes distinctum 3
Agrypnia spp. 7
Agraylea spp. 8
Anabolia spp. 5
Asynarchus montanus 6
Brachycentrus americanus 1
Brachycentrus incanus 0
Brachycentrus lateralis 1
Brachycentrus numerosus 1
Brachycentrus occidentalis 1
Ceraclea spp. 3
Ceratopsyche alhedra 3
Ceratopsyche alternans 3
Ceratopsyche bronta 5
Ceratopsyche morosa bifida 6
Ceratopsyche morosa morosa 2
Ceratopsyche slossonae 4
Ceratopsyche sparna 1
Ceratopsyche walkeri 1
Ceratopsyche vexa 3
Cheumatopsyche spp. 5
Chimarra aterrima 4
Chimarra feria 1
Chimarra obscura 4
Chimarra socia 0
Cyrnellus fraternus 8
Diplectrona modesta 0
Dolophilodes disctinctus 0
Frenesia missa 0
Glossosoma spp. 0
Glyphopsyche irrorate 1
Goera stylata 0
Helicopsyche borealis 3
Hesperophylax designatus 3
Hydatophylax argus 2
Hydropsyche arinale 5
Hydropsyche betteni 6
Hydropsyche bidens 3
Hydropsyche cuanis 6
Hydropsyche dicantha 2
Hydropsyche leonardi 0
Hydropsyche orris 5
Hydropsyche phalerata 1
Hydropsyche placoda 3
Hydropsyche scalaris 2
Hydropsyche simulans 7
Hydroptila spp. 6
Ironoquia spp. 3
Lepidostoma spp. 1
Leucotrichia pictipes 2
Limnephilus spp. 3
Lype diversa 2
Macrostemum zebratum 3
Micrasema gelidum 1
Micrasema rusticum 2
Micrasema wataga 2
Molanna spp. 6
Mystacides sepulchralis 4
Nectopsyche spp. 3
Nemotaulius hostilis 3
Neophylax spp. 3
Neotrichia spp. 2
Neureclipsis spp. 7
Nyctiophylax spp. 5
Ochrotirchia spp. 4
Oecetis spp. 8
Oligostomis ocelligera 2
Onocosmoecus quadrinotatus 2
Oxyethira spp. 3
Parapsyche apicalis 0
Phryganea spp. 8
Phylocentropus placidus 5
Platycentropus spp. 4
Polycentropus spp. 6
Potamyia flava 5
Protoptila spp. 5
Pseudostenophylax uniformis 0
Psychoglypha subborealis 0
Psychomyia flavida 2
Psilotreta indecisa 0
Ptilostomis spp. 5
Pycnopsyche spp. 4
Rhyacophila brunnea 0
Rhyacophila fuscula 0
Rhyacophila lobifera 4
Rhyacophila vibox 2
Setodes spp. 2
Stactobiella spp. 2
Triaenodes spp. 6
Wormaldia moestus 0
Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Dr. Kurt L. Schmude, Professor and Senior Scientist at UW Superior for his aquatic entomology expertise. Also, Tom H. Klubertanz, Professor of Biology at UW-Whitewater at Rock County and Jeffrey Dimick, Laboratory Manager at UW Stevens Point, WI. for their assistance and aquatic entomology expertise.