Blue-winged Olive Mayfly vs Yellow Drake Mayfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue-winged Olive Mayfly Yellow Drake Mayfly
Scientific Name Serratella ignita Ephemera lutea
Order Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera
Family Ephemerellidae Ephemeridae
Size 7-10 mm body 18-25 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Detritivores
Regions Europe North America
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.

Yellow Drake Mayfly

One of the largest mayflies in eastern North America with a pale greenish body. Nymphs live in burrows in the silty bottoms of clean streams.

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Did You Know?

Adults live only a few hours but their emergence creates one of the most anticipated fishing events of the year.