Northern Iron Blue Mayfly - Baetis muticus

One of several brown mayflies with clear, lightly veined wings.

Nymphs of this species live chiefly in riffle sections of rivers and streams, where they live in gravel, sand or mud on the bed of the watercourse.

There are two generations of adults per year - a slow growing winter generation and a much faster summer generation.ÿ This results in a fairly long flight period, with adults being present between April and October.ÿ

Nymphs feed by scraping algae from submerged stones and other structures, or by gathering or collecting fine particulate organic detritus from the sediment.

A widespread and common species over much of Britain, but more frequent in the north and west.

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.