Arctic Mayfly vs Green Drake Mayfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Arctic Mayfly Green Drake Mayfly
Scientific Name Baetis bundyae Ephemera guttulata
Order Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera
Family Baetidae Ephemeridae
Size 5-8 mm 18-25 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Arctic Canada, Alaska, northern Scandinavia Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Arctic Mayfly

A small, delicate mayfly with transparent wings and two long tail filaments. Nymphs are agile swimmers in cold Arctic streams. Adults emerge for a very brief mating flight during the short Arctic summer.

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Did You Know?

Adult mayflies live only a few hours to a few days, just long enough to mate and lay eggs before dying.

Green Drake Mayfly

A large and strikingly beautiful mayfly with mottled wings that emerges in late spring. Its hatches on eastern North American streams create some of the year's best fly-fishing opportunities.

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Did You Know?

Green drake hatches trigger a feeding frenzy among trout, with even the largest fish rising to the surface.