Blue-winged Olive Mayfly vs Arctic Caddisfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue-winged Olive Mayfly Arctic Caddisfly
Scientific Name Serratella ignita Apatania zonella
Order Ephemeroptera Trichoptera
Family Ephemerellidae Apataniidae
Size 7-10 mm body 6-9 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Europe Arctic Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard, Arctic Canada
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Blue-winged Olive Mayfly

A common mayfly of clean rivers and streams with distinctive blue-grey wings. One of the most important mayflies for fly fishing. Nymphs cling to stones in fast water.

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Did You Know?

So important to fly fishers that dozens of artificial fly patterns have been designed to imitate its various life stages.

Arctic Caddisfly

A small, hairy-winged caddisfly with dark brown wings held tent-like over the body. Larvae build portable cases from sand grains and small stones. It is one of the most northerly distributed caddisflies in the world.

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Did You Know?

Some Arctic populations of this caddisfly reproduce by parthenogenesis, with females producing offspring without mating.