Trico Mayfly vs Midge
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Trico Mayfly | Midge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tricorythodes stygiatus | Chironomus plumosus |
| Order | Ephemeroptera | Diptera |
| Family | Leptohyphidae | Chironomidae |
| Size | 3-6 mm | 8-12 mm |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Ponds & Lakes |
| Diet | Detritivores | Detritivores |
| Regions | North America | Europe, Asia, North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Trico Mayfly
A tiny mayfly that forms enormous morning spinner falls over calm streams and rivers. Males have distinctive white bodies with black thoraxes.
Did You Know?
Trico spinner falls create such dense blankets of spent mayflies on the water surface that trout gorge themselves to satiation.
Midge
A delicate, mosquito-like fly with feathery antennae that forms enormous mating swarms at dusk. Despite their appearance, non-biting midges are completely harmless.
Did You Know?
Midge swarms can be so dense near lakes that they appear on weather radar, and the biomass of emerging adults can exceed one ton per hectare of lake surface per year.