Pond Olive Mayfly vs Yellow Drake Mayfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Pond Olive Mayfly Yellow Drake Mayfly
Scientific Name Cloeon dipterum Ephemera lutea
Order Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera
Family Baetidae Ephemeridae
Size 6-9 mm 18-25 mm
Habitat Gardens Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Detritivores
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.

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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.

Yellow Drake Mayfly

One of the largest mayflies in eastern North America with a pale greenish body. Nymphs live in burrows in the silty bottoms of clean streams.

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Did You Know?

Adults live only a few hours but their emergence creates one of the most anticipated fishing events of the year.