Little Olive Sedge vs Cold-water Glacier Midge

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Little Olive Sedge Cold-water Glacier Midge
Scientific Name Hydropsyche betteni Diamesa cinerella
Order Trichoptera Diptera
Family Hydropsychidae Chironomidae
Size 10-14 mm 3-4 mm body length
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Detritivores Detritivores
Regions North America Europe, Alps, Scandinavia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

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.

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Did You Know?

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

Cold-water Glacier Midge

A cold-adapted midge found in high-altitude streams fed by snowmelt. Its larvae are among the first colonizers of newly formed glacial streams.

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Did You Know?

Adults can emerge and fly at temperatures just above freezing.