Pond Olive Mayfly vs Rustic Sphinx Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Pond Olive Mayfly	Rustic Sphinx Moth
Scientific Name	Cloeon dipterum	Manduca rustica
Order	Ephemeroptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Baetidae	Sphingidae
Size	6-9 mm	90-140 mm
Habitat	Gardens	Gardens
Diet	Omnivores	Nectar Feeders
Regions	Europe, Asia	Southern United States, Mexico, Central America, South 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.

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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.

Rustic Sphinx Moth

A striking hawk moth with dark brown forewings marked with white patches and a banded abdomen. It is a strong flier found across the Americas and is attracted to garden flowers at dusk.

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Did You Know?

The rustic sphinx is one of the largest hawk moths in North America and can sometimes be seen hovering at flowers alongside hummingbirds.