About Ephemera vulgata Linnaeus, 1758
Ephemera vulgata Linnaeus, 1758 can be distinguished from the closely similar species Ephemera danica (commonly called the green drake) in both its adult and subimago life stages. It differs from E. danica by having a duller body color and a slightly smaller overall body size. Its wings also have more prominent, heavier veining, and each segment of the upper surface of its abdomen bears pairs of dark markings along its lateral edges. This species is distributed across most of Europe. It breeds primarily in slow-moving sluggish rivers and standing still waters, including ponds. E. vulgata populations are currently declining. This decline is likely caused by pesticide and heavy metal pollution of its waterway habitats, plus disorientation of adult individuals from light pollution.
