Brown Drake Mayfly vs Blue-Winged Olive

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Brown Drake Mayfly Blue-Winged Olive
Scientific Name Ephemera simulans Baetis tricaudatus
Order Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera
Family Ephemeridae Baetidae
Size 14-20 mm 5-9 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Brown Drake Mayfly

A large brownish mayfly with mottled wings that produces dramatic evening hatches on trout streams. Nymphs burrow in sandy and silty streambeds.

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Did You Know?

Brown drake hatches occur over just a few days each year, creating some of the most spectacular dry-fly fishing of the season.

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.