Blue Quill vs Blue-Winged Olive

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue Quill Blue-Winged Olive
Scientific Name Paraleptophlebia guttata Baetis tricaudatus
Order Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera
Family Leptophlebiidae Baetidae
Size 6-9 mm 5-9 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Detritivores Omnivores
Regions North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Blue Quill

A delicate spring-emerging mayfly with bluish-gray body coloring. Nymphs prefer riffles with abundant leaf detritus in clean streams.

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Did You Know?

Anglers consider it one of the most important early-season hatches on trout streams.

Blue-Winged Olive

A small olive-colored mayfly with distinctive bluish-gray wings, abundant in clean streams across North America. It produces multiple generations per year.

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Did You Know?

Blue-winged olives are among the few mayflies that hatch in winter, providing vital food for trout during cold months.