Giant Michigan Mayfly vs South American Giant Mayfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Giant Michigan Mayfly South American Giant Mayfly
Scientific Name Hexagenia bilineata Campsurus major
Order Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera
Family Ephemeridae Polymitarcyidae
Size 18-28 mm 15-25 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Detritivores Omnivores
Regions North America South America
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.

South American Giant Mayfly

A large tropical mayfly found in South American rivers and floodplains. Males have distinctive elongated forelegs used for grasping females during mating flights.

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Did You Know?

Its mass emergences from Amazonian rivers provide a critical food pulse for fish and birds.