Pond Olive Mayfly vs Brown Drake Mayfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Pond Olive Mayfly | Brown Drake Mayfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cloeon dipterum | Ephemera simulans |
| Order | Ephemeroptera | Ephemeroptera |
| Family | Baetidae | Ephemeridae |
| Size | 6-9 mm | 14-20 mm |
| Habitat | Gardens | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Pond Olive Mayfly
One of the few mayflies that breeds in still water including garden ponds and rain barrels. Unusually for a mayfly, females are ovoviviparous.
Did You Know?
This is one of the only mayflies that gives birth to live nymphs rather than laying eggs, a unique trait in the order.
Brown Drake Mayfly
A large brownish mayfly with mottled wings that produces dramatic evening hatches on trout streams. Nymphs burrow in sandy and silty streambeds.
Did You Know?
Brown drake hatches occur over just a few days each year, creating some of the most spectacular dry-fly fishing of the season.