Aquatic insect drift and emergence are essential “movements” for dispersal and colonization in streams and rivers; however, contaminant exposure can alter these ecologically important processes. We exposed naturally occurring stream benthic communities to two trace metal (Cu, Zn) exposure regimes: a continuous exposure and a pulse exposure implemented intermittently over the 10-day experiment. We measured aquatic insect drift and emergence daily and collected benthic invertebrates at the end of the experiments. We observed significant changes in the timing of emergence, with both stimulated and delayed emergence, which were taxon-dependent and varied between exposure regimes. Larval drift increased with metal exposure, with greater abundance under continuous exposure than under pulse exposure. Assessment of benthic community composition at the end of the experiments showed differences among treatments, including significantly reduced abundance of mayflies and caddisflies due to emigration. Altered drift and emergence have important implications for invertebrate population dynamics and for the animals (e.g., fish, birds, spiders) that depend on invertebrate prey resources. By accounting for emigration, we can more accurately estimate how aquatic invertebrates and their linked food webs are affected by contaminant exposure.