Adults and immatures are quite delicate. Aquatic immature stages are elongate, and flattened or cylindrical. They have short antennae. Their body color may be green or brown but may vary by the food that is eaten. Flattened forms attach themselves to rocks or other substrates in streams.
Cylindrical forms are better swimmers.
This species is yellow or yellow-green and may be found along the edges of lakes where the naiads burrow into mud. Some of the most abundant species are Baetidae, Caenidae and Tricorythidae are also common and some of these are barely a quarter of an inch long as adults. Adult mayflies are very short lived, surviving only one or two nights. During that time the adults mate in swarms in the air. They are also attracted to lights.