Dance Fly with Feathered Legs vs Spiny Crawler Mayfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dance Fly with Feathered Legs Spiny Crawler Mayfly
Scientific Name Rhamphomyia sulcata Ephemerella subvaria
Order Diptera Ephemeroptera
Family Empididae Ephemerellidae
Size 5-8 mm 8-12 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Nectar Feeders Detritivores
Regions Europe North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dance Fly with Feathered Legs

A small dance fly where females have distinctive feathered or pennate leg scales used to attract males. Females inflate their abdomen to appear larger during swarming displays.

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Did You Know?

In a rare reversal, females are the ornamented sex, using feathered legs and inflated abdomens to compete for males.

Spiny Crawler Mayfly

A mayfly important to fly anglers and known as the Hendrickson in fishing culture.

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Did You Know?

Its springtime hatch is one of the most anticipated events in fly fishing.