Giant Michigan Mayfly vs Ridged Water Scavenger Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Giant Michigan Mayfly Ridged Water Scavenger Beetle
Scientific Name Hexagenia bilineata Helochares obscurus
Order Ephemeroptera Coleoptera
Family Ephemeridae Hydrophilidae
Size 18-28 mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Ponds & Lakes
Diet Detritivores Detritivores
Regions North America Europe, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Giant Michigan Mayfly

A large burrowing mayfly with two dark stripes on its thorax. Nymphs dig into soft clay and silt bottoms of large rivers.

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Did You Know?

Mass emergences along the Great Lakes have caused road closures due to the slippery accumulation of millions of dead adults.

Ridged Water Scavenger Beetle

A small brown water beetle found in well-vegetated ponds across Europe. Females carry their egg sacs beneath the body until the larvae hatch.

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Did You Know?

The female carries her egg case attached to the underside of her body, a rare form of parental care in beetles.