Diving Beetle vs Blue-winged Olive Mayfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Diving Beetle | Blue-winged Olive Mayfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dytiscus marginalis | Serratella ignita |
| Order | Coleoptera | Ephemeroptera |
| Family | Dytiscidae | Ephemerellidae |
| Size | 27-35 mm | 7-10 mm body |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Predators | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Diving Beetle
A large, streamlined aquatic beetle with an olive-green body bordered in yellow. It carries an air bubble under its elytra and is a voracious underwater predator.
Did You Know?
Great diving beetles can stay submerged for extended periods by trapping a silvery air bubble under their wing covers that functions like a gill.
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.
Did You Know?
So important to fly fishers that dozens of artificial fly patterns have been designed to imitate its various life stages.