Brushleg Mayfly vs Drake Mackerel Mayfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Brushleg Mayfly Drake Mackerel Mayfly
Scientific Name Isonychia bicolor Ephemera glaucops
Order Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera
Family Isonychiidae Ephemeridae
Size 12-18 mm 15-20 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Detritivores
Regions North America Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Brushleg Mayfly

A large, fast-swimming mayfly with forelegs fringed with bristles for filter feeding. Nymphs inhabit swift riffles of large streams and rivers.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most mayflies, nymphs crawl out of water onto rocks to emerge as adults rather than hatching at the surface.

Drake Mackerel Mayfly

A large European burrowing mayfly with distinctive dark markings on its wings. It emerges in synchronous swarms during warm summer evenings.

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Did You Know?

Swarms of this mayfly dancing over European rivers at sunset have inspired poets and naturalists for centuries.