Currant Clearwing vs Burrowing Mayfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Currant Clearwing | Burrowing Mayfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Synanthedon tipuliformis | Hexagenia limbata |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Ephemeroptera |
| Family | Sesiidae | Ephemeridae |
| Size | 17-22 mm wingspan | 18-32 mm body |
| Habitat | Underground | Ponds & Lakes |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe, temperate Asia (introduced worldwide) | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Currant Clearwing
A small wasp-mimicking moth with transparent wings and a black body banded with yellow. Its larvae bore into the stems of currant and gooseberry bushes.
Did You Know?
Its wasp mimicry is so convincing that gardeners who encounter it rarely realise they are looking at a moth.
Burrowing Mayfly
Creates massive synchronized emergences so dense they appear on weather radar. Billions emerge simultaneously from lake bottoms where nymphs burrowed for up to two years.
Did You Know?
Mayfly emergences along the Mississippi River are so massive they show up on Doppler weather radar — billions of insects rising simultaneously look like approaching thunderstorms.