Little Olive Sedge vs Chinese Aquatic Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Little Olive Sedge Chinese Aquatic Firefly
Scientific Name Hydropsyche betteni Aquatica ficta
Order Trichoptera Coleoptera
Family Hydropsychidae Lampyridae
Size 10-14 mm 8-12 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Detritivores Omnivores
Regions North America China
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Little Olive Sedge

A common North American net-spinning caddisfly tolerant of a range of water qualities. Larvae build intricate filtering nets in crevices between cobbles.

💡

Did You Know?

Silk nets are species-specific in mesh size, tuned to the preferred food particle diameter.

Chinese Aquatic Firefly

A firefly with fully aquatic larvae found in streams across southern China. It was the first species placed in the genus Aquatica, erected specifically for water-dwelling lampyrids.

💡

Did You Know?

Larvae breathe underwater using specialized tracheal gills unique among fireflies.