Mayfly Mayfly Filed under: Mayfly - Pinned | Spread the word ! All creatures great and small have a purpose on this earth no matter how annoying they are to humans. Even flies have their jobs in the bigger scheme of things, which would break down if just one of the elements in the loop was to die out. Frogs live off flies, other creatures live off frogs and so on and so on down the food chain. Although the mayfly has many predators, they also have a useful purpose, which is not just to breed and multiply. Using other things in nature like trees, flowers and fruits, the mayfly lives a very happy life until it is time to die off. The mayfly is classed as an insect because of its insect features, like the six legs and three segmented body. Like other flies, the mayfly has wings and the ability to fly, which makes it easy for them to collect foods and do what they need to do to survive. Depending on the species of mayfly, the adult may only live long enough to transform from pupil stage, eat food, breed and then die. Sometimes, they do not even live long enough to eat for long.

When a group of mayflies get together, predators like birds, spiders and other insects get together for a real feast. With millions of mayflies being born at one time, it is easy to eat most of them and still continue the cycle of life. The mayfly is actually one of the oldest living insects from many thousands of years ago, and are part of the same family as the dragonfly. During the nymph stage, which is their initial stage after the insect lays eggs in the water, the nymph is born and wriggles around eating and trying not to be eaten until it is ready to change into a mayfly. There are thousands of different mayfly species all around the world, and they known by different names including the dune bug, Lake Fly, day fly, green bay flies and fish flies. The last name is obvious because the fish like to eat the larvae and the flies breed in water that contains fish. Some of the biggest bug collections in the world hold several hundred species of the mayfly from all different climates and terrain. (83 votes) The Giant Mayfly Filed under: Mayfly - 13 Jun 2013 | Spread the word ! The Mayfly is one of the most impressive insects in the world.

This insect actually lives only for a couple of days, its circle of life being absolutely unique. However, there is more to this story than that. The Giant Mayfly is a subspecies of Mayfly, common in the Eastern United States. This insect is mostly common in the summer months. It is one of the largest types of Mayfly you will ever see. They lay their eggs in the water. Their larvae are yellow to brown and even black. To learn more about this species, you should watch the video below: As you can see, this is an amazing species. Giant mayflies are really curious, being unique among all species of insects. (14 votes) Filed under: Interesting Facts About The Mayfly , Mayfly - 21 Mar 2013 | Spread the word ! Mayflies, also known as shadflies, are aquatic insects whose immature stage – called ‘naiad’ or ‘nymph’ usually lasts a year in fresh water. However, adult mayflies are short-lived, from a few minutes to a few days, depending on the species. This is because the primary function of an adult mayfly is reproduction.

The Mayfly – An Inspiration For Vodafone Filed under: Mayfly Occurrences - 18 Sep 2012 | Spread the word ! The Mayfly maybe one of the species of poorly considered insects. It is not beautiful, like a butterfly, it is not unusual or interesting in its behavior and it only lives for about one day. However, Vodafone has found inspiration in the small Mayfly and has decided to provide it as inspiration for life! The video idea actually takes inspiration from the fact that the Mayfly only lives for one day. This is a day in which it takes all the journeys and takes on all the things that are fun and pleasurable for it! At the end of the day, the Mayfly is set to have had a wonderful life and that is the way in which people should live their lives as well. Filed under: Interesting Facts About The Mayfly - 05 Jul 2012 | Spread the word ! The mayfly is one of the insects part of the short-lived orders of the insect world. Their short lifespan is the one through which they are categorized, as it is mostly one that lasts for a day.

The longer lifespan is the one of the naiads, of the nymphs of these insects, which have the possibility of surviving in fresh water for about a year, as these are water insects. The adults, however, can live from a few minutes up to a few days, fact which depends on the species of the insect, as there are about 2,500 of these in the world. The eggs, from which the naiads are born, have a long resistance in fresh waters, which depends on the species of the insect. Usually, these can last from a few months to a whole year, time in which they moult 20 to 30 times. They are laid on the surface of the lakes or streams and they sink to the bottom, where they mature until the moment of the maturation. Some of the naiads live in the more rocky parts of waters, where there is no vegetation, while others are more present in lakes, these also being the ones that are most prolific. Although they are only in the development stage of the insects, the naiads have the possibility to feed themselves.

The main elements that are seen as food supplies are algae or diatoms, but some of the species also act as predators and feast on the other elements of the underwater world that they can catch. The distinctive features of the mayfly naiads are the seven pairs of gills on the dorsum of the abdomen. They also have long cerci or tails, usually three of these, while others only have two of these long back tails. The process that they go through is known through the term of hemimetabolism, which refers to the fact that they go through an incomplete metamorphosis in their growth. The last moult is after the stage in which the naiads get their wings. As you can see the mayfly is a very interesting insect and the development stage of their growth, the phase in which they are naiads, is one of the most complex ones of their entire existence and definitely the longest one that they have to go through in order to mature properly. (12 votes) Filed under: Interesting Facts About The Mayfly - 14 Jun 2012 | Spread the word ! The Mayfly is one of those simple parts of the animal world that usually go unnoticed.

The fact is that this little creature is actually rather interesting and the information presented on it has managed to attract the curiosity of many people, due to the fact that it is one of the parts of the world we live in. It is important to understand that this tinny insect is part of the category of those which have a very short lifespan. They usually manage to last for a day or two, through which fact they got the nickname of the one-day fly in some parts of the world. There are many types of insects that have a short term lifespan. The fact that they can only last for one day is usually the one that brings many issues for people in a certain way. For example, since all the parts of the reproduction period are at the same time for a species of insects, you can realize the fact that all the larvae will come out at the same time and more importantly, that all the new exemplars will develop into adult hood at the same time. As a result, you can see the amounts of insects that surface in some of the periods of the year and only in some regions.

However, when they come up they are very many and they have the tendency to form massive groups, which can create a lot of problems for the human life in the idea that they prevent sight, they may ruin crops and so on. In the case of the Mayfly, all the tinny new insects group together in the formation of a sort of dance. This movement is very familiar to the people who live in areas filled with these insects. Regularly, these instances surface during the spring and during the fall, these being the moments in which new groups of insects reach their maturity and start going around for the short amount of time in which they can survive. The Mayfly is one of the interesting types of insects in the animal world. Due to the fact that it has a very short lifespan and to the fact that it has such an interestingly unique aspect, it has been the subject of numerous studies throughout the world for a variety of researchers. (14 votes) Filed under: Interesting Facts About The Mayfly - 16 May 2012 | Spread the word ! The mayfly is a small insect and one of the most interesting species in the world.

It belongs to the Order Ephemeroptera, in Greek meaning “Short lived” and “wing”. This insect is aquatic and its immature stage lasts almost a year and takes places in the water. Under rocks near streams, decaying plants or sediments are the best places where it lives. One of the main features that makes it different from other similar insects are the pair of gills on the dorsum of the abdomen. It also features three long cerci or tails at the end if the body. There is also other thing that makes this insect unique. It’s about the fact that moults one more time, a process which is known as alate stage. Nonetheless, as well as many other insects, its life span is very short, but it also varies depending on species. This small and interesting insect was called one-day or one-day fly due to its short life span. An interesting phenomenon takes place related to this insect. It’s related to fact that many such creatures mature at the same time, so at that time is a wonderful show seeing them fly and dancing in the air.

Although there are several species, four of them are extinct- Pentagenia robusta and Ephemera compar.The classification has several suborders such as Schistonota and Pannota. The wings of this small creature are membranous, look as those of a butterfly and also feature a great venation. Adults feature large compound eyes, large and short antennae, as well as three ocelli. The males have larger eyes than the females and and front legs are also longer to grasp females during the mating process. Other unique things about this insect refers to the fact that it possess paired genitalia. Briefly, this means that the female has two gonopores and the male two penises. There are still many things to find out about the mayfly. Some scientists are not so sure that the two species extinct. The threatened species is called Tasmanophlebi lacus-coerulei, also known as the large blue lake mayfly. The oldest insect from the same family dates from Lower Cretaceous Siberian amber, many fossils being discovered throughout time. This fragile insect managed to resist to many climate changes that took place and at present is one of the most interesting insects in the world.

(21 votes) Mayfly – Adult Life Filed under: Mayfly - 12 Apr 2012 | Spread the word ! The mayfly is one of the most interesting species in the world. A beautiful insect, the mayfly has amazing characteristics that can easily impress everyone. And one of the most fascinating such facts in linked to the adult life of the mayfly. For starters, you should know that mayflies are aquatic insects which have a long immature stage. In fact, the immature stage will last about one year. And although for a mayfly reaching adulthood can take a long time, this insect will remain in the status of being an adult only for about one day. Many people find this aspect quite sad, but you should know that even though the mayfly only lives for one day as an adult, it manages to make a lot of things. Depending on the species, the mayfly adulthood will last between a few minutes and a few days. Nowadays, there are more than 2,500 mayfly species known in the world. Most of them live in North America, where about 630 mayfly species can be seen. During adult life, the primary activity of a mayfly will be reproducing.

Due to the really shot life time, the mayfly is also known under the name of the one day fly. Anyway, as most mayflies mature during the spring, the amazing spectacle they will offer in the nature is something worth to watch. Mayflies are really beautiful, being colored and having long wings. An important aspect about the wings of the mayfly is that they are really fragile. These transparent wings are extremely easy to harm, so if you plan on catching one to see it closely, you have to be really careful. The cycle of life of these insects is not completed if the adults mayflies do not lay eggs. This is how they breed and they have to complete this process to assure the next mayfly generation. Although mayflies commonly live only one day, they are absolutely amazing. Their eggs are released into a water and when the eggs are mature enough the larvae will come out. The larvae will feed in the water to be able to grow and reach adulthood. (8 votes) Conservation and Protection of the Mayfly Species Filed under: Mayfly - 19 Mar 2012 | Spread the word !

Even thought the mayfly, just like any other insect, is a terrible thing to some and an annoyance to the others, you should know that it has its own place and importance in the ecosystem, as do all the forms of life. The mayfly are small insects and come in a variety of species. There are two suborders, Schistonota and Pannota. The first suborder is divided in four super families, each having their own species. The second suborder has two super families, again with several species for each. The mayfly can be represented in a variety of ways. The importance placed on the small insect in terms of conservation and protection is related to some of the species included in the categories mentioned. The fact that they are considered for conservation shows that even the smallest members of the ecosystem have an important contribution to it and must not be left in disregard by people. The conservation and protection of the mayfly is a rather delicate matter. Obviously, due to the fact that an insect is the concern, there are many difficulties which surface in the process. One of the elements which stands in the way of proper research for conservation is the fact that the species have not been monitored.

As a result, there is no recent information on the particular species of the mayfly other than the facts gathered upon the discovery, study and recognition of it as part of a suborder and of a super family. Some researches believe that there are species of the mayfly in North America that have been extinct. For example, the Pentagenia robusta mayfly was discovered in the 1800s and no other notice of it has been issued since. After many years of research and study, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature decided to place one of the mayfly species, the Tasmanophlebi lacus-coerulei, on their red list as vulnerable. Therefore, the fact that the species number is decreasing has been noted and properly verified, which shows the importance of the insect for the proper function of the ecosystem. (12 votes) Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera Mayflies Ephemeroptera is a group of 2,000 insect species commonly known as mayflies. They are considered to be part of the clade Uniramia which includes silverfish and dragonflies , among others.

Ephemeroptera and Odonata are the only extant orders of winged insects in the infraclass Paleoptera. All other insects with wings are in the Neoptera , and are characterized by a wing articulation (joint) that allows them to fold their wings back over their abdomens at rest (Carpenter, 1992). Ephemeroptera are aquatic insects that often go through many nymph stages (living in water) and two flying stages (the subimago and the imago). They are the only insects to have two flying stages, and can be recognized by their three caudal filaments (tails) at the tip of the abdomen, and a single claw on each leg. This differentiates them from the closely related stoneflies which have two tarsal claws. The flying stages are characterized by relatively large forewings, which are usually kept upright, and reduced or nonexistent hind wings. Mayfly Morphology The first stage of the life of a mayfly is the nymph (larva), which not only looks very different from the adult, but lives in the water. When the nymphs hatch from the eggs, they are less than 1 mm long.

They have no gills at first, and their body shape varies according to habitat. For example, those that burrow (such as Ephemera) have more cylindrical bodies, whereas those that slide under rocks (such as Heptagenia) are flatter. Those in the genus Caenis crawl on mossy stones and vegetation, so they have short bodies with squat legs. Ephemeroptera nymphs may grow to anywhere from 4 mm to 3 cm long. They are generally camouflaged against their background. The number of molts a nymph goes through on its way to becoming an adult does not depend on its nutrition, but the increase in size that comes with each molt does. In older nymphs, gills are found in pairs on each segment of the abdomen (see pictures below). The gills extend from the sides of the body and are oval-shaped. These gills beat to control the flow of water through the body, which also controls the amount of oxygen and salt that flows through the body. Nymphs in still waters generally have larger gills, and those in running water have smaller gills; this allows the nymphs of each habitat to get their optimum flow of water.

Not only do the gills function in uptake of water, salt, and oxygen, but they also send water off at right angles to the body. This is used to mislead predators. If the water simply flowed out the back of the nymph's body, predators would know that the nymph was sitting at the beginning of the stream. However, since they send water away from their bodies at several points, the nymphs are not as easy to track. Some signs of sex can be seen in the last few stages of the nymph, even before it becomes an adult. At this stage, male nymphs have the beginnings of clasping organs on the lower portions of their abdomen, with which they hold the female during copulation. In some species, the males have divided eyes that are two colors. The upper portion is for seeing movement, and the lower portion is specialized for seeing details. The females have smaller eyes and oviducts in the lower abdomen. When it comes time for the last nymph stage to molt into a subimago (the first flying stage), the guts empty out and the mid-gut section fills with air. Often, many nymphs will then simultaneously let go of their hold on their anchor in the water and float up to the top.

Once they reach the air, the cuticle splits open on the thorax and the wings come out. This is the time of greatest vulnerability in their lives as they float on the water before they are strong enough to fly. The subimago has short hairs on the wings and on the body; the wings are dull and pigmented. Once it gains some strength, it flies from the water to some form of shelter such as a tree, long grass, or the underside of a bridge and molts again within 24 to 48 hours. Thisadditional molt allows the legs and tails of the insect to grow more. Longer tails give more stability in flight, and longer legs make it easier for the male to grasp the female in mating. The imago (the final adult stage) has shiny, hairless wings. The longer legs and tails allow for more rapid flight. The corrugation of the wings protects them by making them more flexible and therefore less vulnerable to wind damage. The imago mates and dies within a few hours to a day.

(Harker, 1989) This short adult life is what gives the order its name from the Greek ephemeros meaning "lasting but a day." Mayfly nymphs : At left above, is the nymph of a Baetid mayfly, and at right is a Heptageniid nymph. Notice the Baetid has a slender, cylindrical body and small gills on its abdomen. The small gills indicate that it lives in moving water, and the shape of its body makes it well-suited for swimming against the current. The Heptageniid has a broad flat body, better suited for life clinging to the bottom of the stream to avoid being carried away by the current. Notice also that both nymphs lack the wings of the adult stage, and both have the three caudal filaments (tails) characteristic of mayflies. (Click on either of the pictures above for a larger image). Mayfly Ecology Mayfly eggs are eaten by snails and by caddisfly larvae. The nymphs may be eaten by fish, frogs , birds , flies , or water beetles . The subimagos are eaten by fish, birds, dragonflies , water beetles , or other predatory insects.

For their own nutrition, mayfly nymphs move over stones and weeds to graze off bacteria . They may collect from sediments or feed on detritus. Most mayflies are collectors and scrapers (Edmunds et al, 1976), and most of the consumed bacterial cells pass through their bodies without being used. They are opportunistic generalists, meaning that they eat what they can, when they can. Nymphs have some symbiotic relationships with chironomids that may be commensal. The chironomid larvae attach to the cuticle of the mayfly and eat the unicellular organisms that live there. More harmful to mayflies are nematode parasites, who use nymphs as their hosts by eating their muscles from the inside. Ephemeroptera nymphs are usually microhabitat specialists. Each species survives best on a specific substrate at a certain depth under water with a certain amount of wave action. For example, Rithrogena generally live in medium to large trout streams. Ephemeridae burrow into soft areas where flow is slower, or in areas of lakes and rivers where deposits occur; the particular substrate and burrow depends on the genus.

The primitive habitat of schistonate mayflies is still water even though most extant mayflies live in running water (McCafferty, 1990). In some areas, succession occurs by different species. For example, in Utah Epeorus longimanus is followed by E. deceptivus. Some species dominate in the spring while others dominate in autumn (Edmunds et al, 1976). Some mayfly nymphs are quite sensitive to pollution and are used to evaluate water pollution and stream health. Mating occurs in a swarm, and at these times there may be such dense clouds of mayflies in the air near streams that driving becomes impossible. Because their wings are so fragile, the imagos need calm weather in order to mate. Males usually swarm very near the water, though swarm formations vary from species to species. Within the swarm, the insects are always changing positions. When a female enters the swarm, males try to mate with her. Some float to the ground while mating, and others continue flying. Once a male has successfully mated, he will guard the female to make sure that no other male mates with her. The female then flies to water to lay her eggs.

She dips into the water while flying and releases a few eggs each time. The eggs sink to the bottom and their surface changes. Some become covered with a sticky substance and some have adhesive disks. Some species are parthenogenic, meaning that they do not need sperm to produce fertile eggs (Harker, 1989). The time it takes for emergence into the subimago form varies depending on temperature -- the milder the temperature, the earlier the emergence (Edmunds et al, 1976). Many species have synchronized emergence of subimagos. In these cases, the emergence occurs at a specific time of day under certain weather conditions (Harker, 1989). Mayfly Fossil Record The first recorded mayfly nymphs are from the Late Carboniferous (Fenton, 1989). In most places, mayflies are represented primarily by larval fossils (Sinitshenkova, 1990). Presumably, this is because of the very short lifespan of the adult stage. The siphlonurid form, which is shrimp-like with short caudal filaments that have lateral hair fringes, is the primitive form (Riek, 1970).

However, it is difficult to classify early fossils in the correct order. The fossil Triplosoba pulchella is the only insect from the Carboniferous that is consistently placed in the order Ephemeroptera (McCafferty, 1990). In recent years, certain fossils found in Moravia (eastern Czech Republic) and Oklahoma (central U.S.) previously placed in the order Archodonata have been re-classified as Ephemeroptera. The Oklahoma fossils are very well preserved with the wing venation clearly shown. Hubbard and Kukalova-Peck argue that the presence of three caudal filaments, which is a plesiomorphy, and a well developed costal brace, which is a uniquely derived character of Ephemeroptera, make it impossible to place these fossils in any order other than Ephemeroptera. It has been argued that the presence of segmented tarsi double tarsal claws, traits which are not found in modern mayfly nymphs, means that the fossils were not Ephemeroptera. However, this difference merely means that changes have resulted through evolution since the origin of the group.

The simple tarsi and single tarsal claw must be apomorphies, because the double claws and segmented tarsi can still be found in the closely related orders Odonata (dragonflies and Damselflies) and Plecoptera (stoneflies) (Hubbard & Kukalova-Peck,1980). Early mayfly adults differ from the Permian also differ from their living descendants. Fossil imagos of Protereisma from Kansas have functional mouthparts and fore and hind wings of similar size and shape (Carpenter, 1992). Modern mayflies do not feed as adults, and have smaller hindwings, or no hindwings at all in some species. The highest diversity of Ephemeroptera appears to have been during the Jurassic . Fossils of nine families have been found during this period. Currently, the Ephemeroptera are classified in several different ways, depending on who does the cladistic analysis. According to Riek, this order has six superfamilies with 14 families.

There are also two extinct superfamilies, Proterismatoidea and Mesephemeroidea, which are the Permian insects that appear to be mayflies or their precursors. During the lower Cretaceous, there was extinction and emigration of many mayflies in Brazil -- very few of these have survived to present day (McCafferty, 1990). The evolution from living in still-water to living in running water occurred before the Cenozoic Era (McCafferty, 1990). For more about the classification and relationships of mayflies, visit the Ephemeroptera pages at the Tree of Life . Sources : Carpenter, F.M., 1992. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part R, Arthropoda 4, vol. 3. The Geological Society of America, Inc. and the University of Kansas, Boulder, CO. Edmunds, George F., Jr., Steven L. Jensen, & Lewis Berner, 1976. The Mayflies of North and Central America. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. Fenton, Carroll Lane, & Michael Adams Fenton, 1989. The Fossil Book.

Doubleday, New York. Harker, Janet, 1989. Mayflies. Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd., England. Hubbard, Michael D. & Jarmila Kukolova-Peck, 1980. Permian Mayfly Nymphs: New Taxa and Systematic Characters. Pp. 18-31 in John F. Flanagan & K. Eric Marshall (eds.), Advances in Ephemeroptera Biology. Plenum Press, New York. McCafferty, W. P. Ephemeroptera. Bulletin of the Amercian Museum of Natural History, No. 195. McCafferty, W. P. & T.-Q. Wang, 2000. Phylogenetic Systematics of the Major Lineages of Pannote Mayflies. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 126(1). Riek, E. F., 1973. The Classification of the Ephemeroptera. Pp. 160-178 in William L. Peters & Janice G.

Peters (eds.), Proceedings of the First International Conference on Ephemeroptera. E. J. Brill, Leiden. Sinitshenkova, N. D., 1991. New Mesozoic Mayflies (Ephemerida) from Mongolia. Paleontological Journal 25(1): 116-125. Mayfly Encyclopedia: 3000+ photos, life cycles, & fly fishing hatches Pictures Below ↓ Mayflies may be the most important insects for trout anglers to understand. They are an ancient order of insects, famous outside the fly-fishing world for their fragile beauty and short adult lifespan, often a single day to mate and die. The mayfly's poignant drama attracts poets and anglers alike, but anglers make the most of it. Mayflies live more than 99% of their lives as nymphs on the river or lake bottom, filling many crucial roles in freshwater ecosystems as they feed and grow. They eventually emerge from the water as winged sub-adults called "subimagos" by scientists and "duns" by anglers.

Duns evolved to be good at escaping the water, with a hydrophobic surface and hardy build, but they are clumsy fliers. Within a day or two they molt one last time into "imagos" or "spinners," the mature adults, a transformation captured in this photo series of a dun molting into a spinner . They have longer legs and tails, and sleeker, more lightweight bodies, giving them the airborne speed, agility, and long grasp they need for their midair mating rituals. They are usually darker than the duns and have shinier, more transparent wings. They die within minutes or hours after mating. Hatching Behavior The importance of mayflies comes largely from their emergence and mating behavior. While many organisms assure the survival of their species using individualistic tools like stealth, speed, venom, or parental care, mayflies are famous instead for their "strength in numbers" approach. They coordinate their emergence and mating times (both time of year and time of day) so that they leave their safe habitats and emerge together in large numbers in a very short period of time.

This can trigger feeding frenzies in every nearby insect-eater, from trout to birds to dragonflies, but there are simply so many mayflies at once that many luck out and survive to reproduce. These trout feeding frenzies are the stuff of legend among fly anglers, and they also pose one of our greatest challenges, because trout feeding feverishly on a thick hatch are often unwilling to strike any fly that doesn't properly imitate the mayfly of the hour. The duns of each species typically emerge during an hour or two each day for a couple of weeks in the spring or summer, though there are some important fall hatching species. Some species follow more sporadic emergence strategies, and many of these combine to create a sort of "background noise" of miscellaneous mayfly activity on many trout streams throughout much of the summer. This mixed bag of mayflies provides good opportunities for anglers to catch rising trout that aren't too picky. Mayfly nymphs emerge into duns in several different ways.

Most often, the nymph swims to the water's surface and splits open its exoskeleton above the thorax (Thorax: The thorax is the middle part of an insect's body, in between the abdomen and the head, and to which the legs and wings are attached.). The dun wriggles out onto the surface, where its wings fill with fluid hydraulically and allow it to take flight. (In contrast to the common myth of mayflies needing time to "dry their wings," this process is more like inflating a raft.) Different species may be quick or slow at each stage of this process. Some take a long time to escape their nymphal shuck ( View Full Size Here's an underwater view of the pupal shucks of several already-emerged Brachycentrus numerosus caddisflies. Shuck: The shed exoskeleton left over when an insect molts into its next stage or instar. Most often it describes the last nymphal or pupal skin exited during emergence into a winged adult.), making flies that imitate these "emergers" especially effective.

Some species very quickly take flight when they hit the surface, while others ride the surface for some minutes like little sailboats, a prime target for hungry trout and a welcome sight for the dry fly angler. Cool or windy weather may prolong these struggles and increase the availability of mayflies to trout. Many important species follow completely different emergence patterns. In some, full winged duns emerge on the bottom of the stream and float to the surface. Others swim to shore and crawl out on land before emerging. Learning to identify mayflies and associate them with the right behaviors gives an angler an advantage: the ability to make a good guess about which style and stage of emergence to imitate, simply from seeing and recognizing some duns or mature nymphs. Spinner Behavior Once mayflies have molted into spinners (imagos), they usually gather in swarms to mate, usually over riffles. When they're done they fall dead, or spent (Spent: The wing position of many aquatic insects when they fall on the water after mating. The wings of both sides lay flat on the water.

The word may be used to describe insects with their wings in that position, as well as the position itself.), on the water in an event anglers call a spinner fall. Spinner falls are usually better coordinated than emergences, because spinners gather in swarms for mating. This means some species with sporadic, unnoticed dun emergences become far more concentrated and important to anglers as spinners. Spinner falls are also usually more predictable than emergences, because so many of them (although not all) take place at dusk, and they are preceded by visible aerial spinner swarms, which may start hours earlier at treetop level and descend gradually toward the water as night falls. Dusk spinner falls often mark the angler's best chance to see a good rise of trout each day. However, like most things in nature, mayfly spinners aren't as predictable as we'd like. Sometimes clouds of thousands of spinners will gather over a riffle in the evening and fly back into the woods as quickly as they came, never falling spent (Spent: The wing position of many aquatic insects when they fall on the water after mating. The wings of both sides lay flat on the water.

The word may be used to describe insects with their wings in that position, as well as the position itself.). When that happens, anglers must swallow their disappointment and look for them to finish the job in the morning. Mayfly females face the extra duty of laying their eggs after mating. Many species release their eggs as they fall spent (Spent: The wing position of many aquatic insects when they fall on the water after mating. The wings of both sides lay flat on the water. The word may be used to describe insects with their wings in that position, as well as the position itself.) on the water near the males after mating. Some land on the water, release a few eggs and take off again. Others fly low over the water and dip the tips of their abdomens below the surface for just a moment to release eggs. Still others drop their eggs from high in the air. In one very common genus, Baetis , the females land near shore and crawl underwater to lay their eggs in neat little rows on rocks and logs.

Nymph Biology Mayfly nymphs or "naiads (Naiad: Naiad is the technical term for nymph used by modern entomologists.)" grow underwater for a period ranging from 3 months to 2 years, depending on the species. Like the stoneflies of Plecoptera , their development follows "incomplete" metamorphosis, meaning they do not undergo a dramatic transformation to adulthood via a pupal stage like butterflies and caddisflies ( Trichoptera ) do. Their changes are more gradual, at least internally. As the nymphs grow they proceed through numerous slightly different developmental stages called instars (Instar: Many invertebrates molt through dozens of progressively larger and better-developed stages as they grow. Each of these stages is known as an instar. Hard-bodied nymphs typically molt through more instars than soft-bodied larvae.), between which they molt out of their old exoskeletons and expose new ones. Anglers recognize four categories of mayfly nymphs: swimming, burrowing, clinging, and crawling: Some streamlined swimmers move like little bullets, faster then fish of the same size, and they swim upstream against strong current without a problem.

Others inhabit slow water and use their speed to dart between leaves in the weed beds. Clingers of the family Heptageniidae are typically flat nymphs with strong legs and claws for holding on to rocks. Some have evolved further adaptations for clinging in fast water; for example, the genus Rhithrogena has gills resembling suction cups. There is great variation among the clingers and some species have adapted to slow water. Crawlers come in the most varied forms; they are a catch-all group for "average" families that usually excel at neither swimming nor clinging. The Hendricksons and Sulphurs of the Ephemerella genus are typical crawlers. There are tiny crawlers like Tricorythodes , and there are oddballs like Baetisca . The crawlers in Leptophlebiidae are quite good at swimming, and those in Drunella (especially Drunella doddsii ) are quite good at clinging. The distinctive burrowers of Ephemeridae (and the less important Polymitarcyidae ) are pale nocturnal creatures which use tusks to carve U-shaped burrows into the river bottom, where they live most of the time.

Their long yellow bodies and feathery gray gills make them unmistakable. Their hatches are some of the angler's favorites, especially the giant Hexagenia limbata flies of the Midwest and West or the Eastern Green Drakes, Ephemera guttulata . Entomologists have a similar system, but even their line between categories is a blurry one. Some burrowers swim well, some crawlers cling well, and some families like Leptophlebiidae and Potamanthidae straddle the boundary between categories. If you fish a fertile stream, watch the bottom ahead of you as you walk. Sometimes, especially in April and May, you'll see lots of mayfly nymphs in front of you swimming out of your way or scurrying to the undersides of rocks. You don't need to be down on all fours with a magnifying glass to see mayfly life underwater.

Pictures of 679 Mayfly Specimens: Order Ephemeroptera - Mayflies - BugGuide.Net Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) Order Ephemeroptera - Mayflies Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies) Other Common Names in angling/flyfishing, an adult mayfly (imago) is called a spinner; the winged pre-adult (subimago) is called a dun; and many species have common names( 1 ) Synonyms and other taxonomic changes The classification/nomenclature in the Guide generally follows Mayfly Central( 2 ) Explanation of Names Greek ephemeros 'of/for a day; short-lived' + pteron 'wing' -- refers to the short-lived adults ["ephemeros" comes from epi 'upon' + hemera 'day'] MAYFLY: adults appear in large numbers in May Numbers 611 spp. in 59 genera of 21 families in our area( 3 ); worldwide, ~3350 spp.

in >440 genera of at least 42 families( 4 )( 5 ); 300 spp. in se.

US( 6 ), 204 in the Carolinas( 7 )( 8 ), 71 in FL( 9 ) Genera not yet in the Guide are listed in( 10 ) Overview of our fauna (* –taxa not yet in the guide) Order Ephemeroptera 1-30 mm( 3 ) Identification Adult ( imago ): body delicate or "flimsy", varying from almost transparent to white, yellow, orange, green, brown, or black; thorax and abdomen bare, often shiny; legs slender, solid color; front legs often held forward and sometimes upward in front of head when at rest; forewings large, triangular, with many cross veins; hindwings much smaller than forewings (hindwings absent in some species); both wings usually transparent but sometimes patterned, held vertically and together above thorax when at rest Pre-adult ( subimago ): wings cloudy in appearance, body dull and pubescent, with appendages somewhat shorter -- but otherwise similar to imago; pre-adults molt a final time to become adults Nymph (usually called larva in mayflies): body elongate, flattened or cylindrical, usually greenish or brownish but

 color varies according to the type of food eaten; legs long; antennae short; abdomen with lateral plate-like gills and usually three long thin tail projections (cerci); some species have only two cerci Very detailed general info in( 9 ) keys: NA, genera, larvae & adults( 11 ); ne.

NA, genera, nymphs( 12 ); Upper Midwest, families, nymphs( 13 ); Florida, nymphs( 14 ) worldwide and throughout NA; for ranges of nearctic spp., see( 21 )( 2 )( 22 ) Habitat most nymphs develop in streams and rivers that are well-oxygenated and relatively free of pollution; some species develop in lakes or ponds, usually in shallow water where the oxygen content is highest adults may be found on vegetation near water, and are attracted to lights Season some emerge in late April (earlier in the south) but the greatest numbers first appear in May, and adults may be seen until September in the north; later, and perhaps around the year, in the far south Food nymphs feed on pieces of organic matter such as plant material or algae and debris that accumulates on rocks or other substrates in flowing water (predation recorded in some) adults have no functional mouthparts and do not feed Life Cycle Mating and oviposition. Adult males gather in mid-air swarms, usually 5-15 metres above the ground; females fly into the swarm, and mating occurs in flight.

Females deposit eggs while flying low over the water, or by dipping the abdomen into the water; some species submerge themselves and lay eggs underwater. Development. Mayflies are hemimetabolous , that is, they undergo incomplete metamorphosis , a form of simple metamorphosis, and represent the only insect group whose members molt in winged condition. Nymphs (or naiads ) develop through several (perhaps dozens) stages ( instars ) by molting. The number of molts varies depending on species, temperature, and water conditions. Mature nymphs swim to water surface or crawl onto rocks or plants, then molt into winged subadults ( subimagos ) which fly to nearby plants and molt again into adults (called imagoes ). Adult lifespan ranges from 1.5 hours to two weeks; most adults live 48-72 hrs. Remarks Adults and nymphs are an important source of food for fish and other aquatic wildlife. Anglers often use mayflies as bait.

See Also stonefly and caddisfly adults hold their wings together horizontally over the abdomen, and hugged closed to the body stonefly nymphs have filamentous gills (not plate-like), and usually have two cerci (not three) Print References DigitalInsectCollection - Mayfly DigitalInsectCollection A Mayfly Nymph Nymphs The first physical stage of the Mayfly's life is the nymph, or the larvae stage. Mayflies are nymphs because they go through many instars and molts, also because they go through gradual metamorphosis. When hatched, the nymphs are less than a 1 mm long. Their specific body shapes depend on the habitat in which they are born. (For example, some have more cylindrical bodies because they are born in burrows rather than under a rock which would cause them to have a more flattened body structure.) The nymphs can grow to be 3 to 4 mm in length during this stage of life. On each segment of the abdomen are a pair of gills. This structure is found on the nymphs as they age. The gills extend from their sides and are in an oval-like shape. The size of the gills, like the body shape, depends on the habitat.

(For example, if the nymphs are in still water the gills are larger, however, they are smaller when the nymphs are in running water.) Nymph's gills are not just for taking in oxygen like that of most organism that obtain them, but rather these gills push water out in several different directions. Larger gills mean the nymph can move more rapidly through the water. This creates a natural protection quality for the nymphs because they are less likely to be able to be traced by predators. Male nymphs have clasping organs on the lower portions of their abdomen. Also, the males have a special feature of having a divide in their eye, which can be seen with the two different colors of the eye. These two sections of the eye have different functions which are to see movement and to see details. On the other hand, females have smaller eyes as well as oviducts in the lower abdomen. In the last stage of the nymph cycle, the nymphs develop their wings, which have tiny hairs all over them. In addition, these tiny hairs are all over the body. The wings are dull and are tinted with some pigment. This is the nymphs' entry into adulthood.

Adult Mayfly Adults Now that the mayflies are matured into adults, their physical appearences start to change yet again. The legs and tails of the mayflies start to lengthen and grow. In the final adult stage, the mayflies wings are now shiny and hairless. The wings are very triangular and membranous and are held up just like those of the butterflies . A cloudy or see through color is often what the wings are seen as. They have a pair of hindwings which are much smaller than the forewings. The second segment of the thorax is larger for it contains most of the flight muscles.Tails of the mayflies, or cerci , extending from the end of their abdomens. Some species only have two tails, but the majority of the different species have three tails. Adults have three ocelli and have two flexible, short antennae. The mayflies are usually colored around the shades of white, brown, yellow, or green depending on the species. Male and female mayflies differ physically apart from their genitalia. In most females, all of their legs are atrophied , whereas only the hind legs are atrophied on males.

Distinguishing Characteristics Mayflies have unique traits that are different than those of the similar bugs. Stoneflies and Damselfies are often mixed up with the mayfly because of the general similar structure. However, the placement and structure of the parts of these insects are not the same. Mayflies have fringed gills on their abdomen instead of finger-like gills. Their mouth parts are classified as chewing and they only have one claw. However, their mouth parts do not actually fully develop because of their feeding habits . They usually have two or three tails that are of the filamentous shape. Habitat The mayflies enjoy freshwater environments. These environments are usually cooler and the water can be of any level. However, most of the nymphs are Mayfly Habitat found in the shallow parts of lakes or creeks. In shallow water the oxygen content is the highest. The water in which they live must be well-oxygenated and relatively free of pollution. The adult mayflies are usually found near vegetation and are attracted to lights. The nymphs can usually be found under decaying plants, mud, and other particles on the bottoms of the body of water. Common places to find mayflies are in mountain streams and in higher altitude places because of the neutral temperatures.

Factors Among Habitats Habitats vary for different species of mayflies. Some mayflies perfer running water over still water. Other factors influencing the choice habitats of this bug are temperature of the water, chemicals in the water, and the amount of sunlight available for them. check out this podcast of exploring mayflies! (this brings you to the site, click play) Geographic Range Mayflies have about 2,500 species ranging all over the world. 630 of those species are found on the continent of North America. They are found on all continents except for Antarctica and on a few small inslands where the climate starts to become more frigid. Mild and tropical areas are where they range the most. For example, Australia is an area that holds many mayflies. Shaded in states are where the mayflies can be found in the United States and parts of Canada. Mayflies come around for different seasons in each state . Areas of the United States and Canada that have Mayfly population Map of where mayflies can be found around the world The two maps above show where mayflies are present. The first map on the top, shows which specific states in the United States including parts of Canada in which mayflies live.

The areas of mayfly population are shown in the second map. On the second map, it shows the broad areas of the world. Mayflies generally live where there is water. However, Antarctica is not included because of the freezing temperatures of water. Mating Behavior ﻿Mating occurs after the last malt of the mayflies. During this mating process, the male mayflies start off by performing a mating flight which is a dance for Two Mayflies Mating the females to soon take part in. This swarm of males is usually seen over water at dusk. The individuals move through the air in a repeating pattern of floating downward and then floating back up. Soon after, the females make their way into the swarm and continue the pattern of falling and rising. Male mayflies then go behind the females to take hold of their thorax with their front legs. Sperm is transferred directly to the female's genitals, fertilizing her eggs.They generally mate on wing, in the air, with the male underneath. While physically mating, the mayflies will either continue to fly or hover over the water getting out of any harsh winds. Once the male has fertilized the female's eggs, he will stick with the female to assure that no other male tries to mate with her.

The females then fly lower and closer to the water to release the quickly fertilized eggs. She drops her eggs a few at a time while moving along the water's surface. Life Cycle Mayflies have a very short but interesting life cycle. This life cycle consists of four stages- egg, nymph, subimago, and imago. Although their life outside of water as adults lasts only a day or two, the process of becoming fully matured takes time. A common name for Mayflies is Ephemerids because of this living in an aquatic state compared to nonaquatic state ratio. Egg After the mother mayfly drops her eggs into the water, the eggs wash off the sticky substance remaining after the birth. ﻿Females will p Mayfly Eggs roduce 50 to 10,000 eggs. Once laid in water, these eggs sink to the bottom or attach themselves onto objects in the water like docks, rocks, and debris. Mayfly eggs will hatch in about two weeks after being laid, however, in some cases eggs can go into a state called diapause where no growth occurs. This is an adaptation that the eggs go through to prevent hatching in an environment not suitable for the stage of being nymphs.

Nymph The nymph stage can last for two week or up to as long as two years depending on the mayfly. However, the average is about a year. During this time about 50 molts may occur. At this time they have seven pairs of gills on their abdomens. The dark wing pads become visible and soon they will molt to develop their wings. After the nymphs are able to mature slightly, they can start to move around in the water stalking up on food. Mayfly molting Eventually the nymphs swim to the surface of the water to prepare for their next molt which is subimago. The nymphs climb up on rocks and other dry surfaces to break out of their nymph skin. Subimago In this stage, wings are formed and are out of the skin in which they were held back in. The subimago stage is very dull in the appearance of mayflies and it is extremely quick. Depending on the species, this stage can last a few minutes to 48 hours. It is mostly a transition molt into the imago stage which is the final adult stage. Legs of the mayflies are often short in this stage and are in the process of growing along with the rest of the body.

The wings become stronger and extend more along with the legs, and the color of the mayflies start to appear. In contrast, when the mayflies hit this stage their mouth parts become disabled and their digestive system does not develop any further. Once the wings dry and the skin of the mayfly is completely off the it will fly to near by vegetation. While in this state, the mayfly is known as a mayfly "dun". Imago Now in the imago stage of life, the mayflies are fully adults. They molted once again to change from mayfly "duns" to mayfly "spinners". Their bodies are more shiny with longer tails and legs. Imago is the reproductive stage of this insects life. The mayflies go into the swarm dance at dusk finding mates. ( This process of mating said above in mating behaviors ) Once successfully mated, the male goes off with little energy left and dies. On the other hand, the female has one more job to complete. With the new fertilized eggs, the mother lowers her abdomen into the water and releases the eggs. Sometimes this takes so much energy that she dies in the process.

However, if she is still alive, like the male, she will go off and slowly die. Over all, the mayflies usually only live a day once they are out of the nymph stage which is why they often get nicknames meaning short lived. ﻿Feeding Habits ﻿Mayflies only feed while they are in the stage of being nymphs. The nymphs are still in an undeveloped stage because in this stage they do not start to molt. They are underwater where most often they feed off of algae , a Algae very common resource in their habitats. While taking in algae, the nymphs take in other microscopic organisms as well. These microorganisms can be found other places in the water, which sometimes leads the larvae into eating the remains of aquatic animals such as fish and turtles. To physically consume the food, the nymphs must move their gills to suck in water, containing particles of algae and other microscopic products. Some nymphs even use their temporary mouth parts to scrape algae off of different aquatic settings and to take nutrition from the decaying animals. ﻿ Reason for Feeding Habits Mayflies feed vigorously as nymphs when they are not even developed into a molting form yet. However, there is a reason for this.

The nymph stage needs to consume an abundance of energy to power up for the on coming stages. It takes loads of energy to undergo the complex transformations their bodies undergo. Ecological Role Mayflies have an important ecological role. The mayfy nymphs play a specific role in the ecosystems of many freshwater bodies. These nymphs graze and consume large amounts of algae and other build ups of organic particles in the water. This helps the water maintain its nutrience cycle and not become Mayflies swarming over lake indicating good water:) too polluted with fast spreading organisms like algae.Mayflies help determine the water quality because of their toleration and intoleration of different habitats. These insects will not be able to survive in an area or body of water that is too polluted. If the water has too much organic debris, it is not considered good quality water. However, if the water is fresh, oxygenated, and clean then the mayflies will be full of life and will be in groups of numerous amounts. Ecologists will often look to the mayflies to know the condition of the water. Mayflies are also very abundant in their habitat, providing food for many predators.

Although aquatic organisms may consume the many other aquatic creatures, the mayflies are easy to catch because of their liking of being around water, as well as spending their life in water too. Trout and salmon depend the most on mayflies for food. Some other significant predators are birds and dragonfly nymphs . When the mayflies died, they lay themselves in the water. This is easy and free food for the predators to get, supporting many organisms. Ultimately, this role benefits the food chain . My Glog Mayfly – Interesting Facts About The Mayfly Filed under: Interesting Facts About The Mayfly - 05 Jul 2012 | Spread the word ! The mayfly is one of the insects part of the short-lived orders of the insect world. Their short lifespan is the one through which they are categorized, as it is mostly one that lasts for a day. The longer lifespan is the one of the naiads, of the nymphs of these insects, which have the possibility of surviving in fresh water for about a year, as these are water insects.

The adults, however, can live from a few minutes up to a few days, fact which depends on the species of the insect, as there are about 2,500 of these in the world. The eggs, from which the naiads are born, have a long resistance in fresh waters, which depends on the species of the insect. Usually, these can last from a few months to a whole year, time in which they moult 20 to 30 times. They are laid on the surface of the lakes or streams and they sink to the bottom, where they mature until the moment of the maturation. Some of the naiads live in the more rocky parts of waters, where there is no vegetation, while others are more present in lakes, these also being the ones that are most prolific. Although they are only in the development stage of the insects, the naiads have the possibility to feed themselves. The main elements that are seen as food supplies are algae or diatoms, but some of the species also act as predators and feast on the other elements of the underwater world that they can catch. The distinctive features of the mayfly naiads are the seven pairs of gills on the dorsum of the abdomen.

They also have long cerci or tails, usually three of these, while others only have two of these long back tails. The process that they go through is known through the term of hemimetabolism, which refers to the fact that they go through an incomplete metamorphosis in their growth. The last moult is after the stage in which the naiads get their wings. As you can see the mayfly is a very interesting insect and the development stage of their growth, the phase in which they are naiads, is one of the most complex ones of their entire existence and definitely the longest one that they have to go through in order to mature properly. (12 votes) Filed under: Interesting Facts About The Mayfly - 14 Jun 2012 | Spread the word ! The Mayfly is one of those simple parts of the animal world that usually go unnoticed. The fact is that this little creature is actually rather interesting and the information presented on it has managed to attract the curiosity of many people, due to the fact that it is one of the parts of the world we live in. It is important to understand that this tinny insect is part of the category of those which have a very short lifespan.

They usually manage to last for a day or two, through which fact they got the nickname of the one-day fly in some parts of the world. There are many types of insects that have a short term lifespan. The fact that they can only last for one day is usually the one that brings many issues for people in a certain way. For example, since all the parts of the reproduction period are at the same time for a species of insects, you can realize the fact that all the larvae will come out at the same time and more importantly, that all the new exemplars will develop into adult hood at the same time. As a result, you can see the amounts of insects that surface in some of the periods of the year and only in some regions. However, when they come up they are very many and they have the tendency to form massive groups, which can create a lot of problems for the human life in the idea that they prevent sight, they may ruin crops and so on. In the case of the Mayfly, all the tinny new insects group together in the formation of a sort of dance. This movement is very familiar to the people who live in areas filled with these insects.

Regularly, these instances surface during the spring and during the fall, these being the moments in which new groups of insects reach their maturity and start going around for the short amount of time in which they can survive. The Mayfly is one of the interesting types of insects in the animal world. Due to the fact that it has a very short lifespan and to the fact that it has such an interestingly unique aspect, it has been the subject of numerous studies throughout the world for a variety of researchers. (14 votes) Filed under: Interesting Facts About The Mayfly - 16 May 2012 | Spread the word ! The mayfly is a small insect and one of the most interesting species in the world. It belongs to the Order Ephemeroptera, in Greek meaning “Short lived” and “wing”. This insect is aquatic and its immature stage lasts almost a year and takes places in the water. Under rocks near streams, decaying plants or sediments are the best places where it lives. One of the main features that makes it different from other similar insects are the pair of gills on the dorsum of the abdomen. It also features three long cerci or tails at the end if the body.

There is also other thing that makes this insect unique. It’s about the fact that moults one more time, a process which is known as alate stage. Nonetheless, as well as many other insects, its life span is very short, but it also varies depending on species. This small and interesting insect was called one-day or one-day fly due to its short life span. An interesting phenomenon takes place related to this insect. It’s related to fact that many such creatures mature at the same time, so at that time is a wonderful show seeing them fly and dancing in the air. Although there are several species, four of them are extinct- Pentagenia robusta and Ephemera compar.The classification has several suborders such as Schistonota and Pannota. The wings of this small creature are membranous, look as those of a butterfly and also feature a great venation. Adults feature large compound eyes, large and short antennae, as well as three ocelli. The males have larger eyes than the females and and front legs are also longer to grasp females during the mating process. Other unique things about this insect refers to the fact that it possess paired genitalia.

Briefly, this means that the female has two gonopores and the male two penises. There are still many things to find out about the mayfly. Some scientists are not so sure that the two species extinct. The threatened species is called Tasmanophlebi lacus-coerulei, also known as the large blue lake mayfly. The oldest insect from the same family dates from Lower Cretaceous Siberian amber, many fossils being discovered throughout time. This fragile insect managed to resist to many climate changes that took place and at present is one of the most interesting insects in the world. (21 votes) Dragonflies and Damselflies How they breed and feed� Biology Dragonflies and damselflies are beautifully adapted for flight, having powerful muscles directing their four wings independently from one another. They are incredibly agile and manoeuvrable insects, able to hover, glide, fly forwards, backwards and sideways. They can also change their direction and speed of flight very rapidly. As with all insects, their bodies are made of three basic parts: the head with multi-faceted eyes, the thorax to which the four wings and six legs are attached, and the abdomen with its ten segments.

Diagram Dragonfly body parts -Common darter Sympetrum striolatum female © BDS/J.Stevens Life Cycle Dragonflies and damselflies have a fascinating life history. Most of their life is spent underwater, first as an egg and then as a larva (or nymph) and they have a comparatively short adult life, being “on the wing” for a few weeks only. For most species the whole process takes one or two years, and it begins with an egg. Eggs are laid in the vegetation, mud, or directly in the water of rivers, ponds, lochs. After a few weeks or months, depending on the species, the eggs eventually hatch out into larvae (or nymphs). The length of time spent as a larva underwater depends greatly on the temperature and availability of food. The larvae shed their skins many times to grow to full size, and developing ‘wing buds’ can be seen as they near maturity. Most damselflies take about a year to reach adulthood, whereas larger dragonflies may take two or more years.

Damselfly larva –Azure damselfly Coenagrion puella (© Steve Cham) Note the three leaf-like gills at the end of the abdomen Dragonfly larva –Hairy dragonfly Brachytron pratense (© Steve Cham) Note the absence of external gills at the end of the abdomen When fully grown, the larva climbs out of the water onto a leaf, twig or stem, and begins its “emergence”. Its skin splits behind the head and on top of the thorax. With a slight struggle, the young adult will emerge out of the old larval skin, which is left behind. The transformation from underwater larva to winged adult is a vulnerable stage and takes place over a few hours. Soon after emergence, young adults with their pale colouration and shiny wings tend to leave the water body and will not return until they are ready to mate. The delicate, empty larval cases left behind, called “exuviae”, can be identified to species level just like larvae themselves, and constitute the ultimate proof that a given species is breeding at a site.

Downy emerald Cordulia aenea – young emergent with exuvia © BDS/J.Stevens Once the young adults have matured and gained their full colours, male and female are ready to mate. Mating, depending on the species involved, takes place in the air, or on the ground, or amongst reeds or high up in the branches of a tree. Males use claspers (or “anal appendages”) at the end of their abdomen to grab females just behind the head. When ready, the female curves her body forward so that her reproductive organs reach those of the male. This forms the “wheel” or “heart” position, which is held from a few seconds to several hours depending upon the species. Common blue damselflies Enallagma cyathigerum in 'cop’ (copulation) © BDS/J.Stevens After copulation, the pair is still perfectly capable of flying when linked or “in tandem”. The females of some species lay their eggs while still in tandem with the male. Others may separate after mating and the female is either left to lay her eggs alone or guarded by the male flying in close proximity, protecting her from disturbance by rival males.

Some species deposit their eggs directly into the water, while others insert each individual egg into leaves, stalks or rotting wood floating on the water’s surface. The females of some damselfly species can even submerge themselves totally to lay their eggs into water plants. The eggs eventually hatch and the life cycle starts all over again. Predators and Prey Dragonflies and damselflies are voracious carnivores. When hunting for food, adults will take any flying insects they can catch, such as flies, midges and mosquitoes. The larger species will also eat butterflies, moths and occasionally smaller dragonflies or damselflies! Adults use their excellent eyesight to detect prey. In flight, they hold their bristly legs in a basket shape to scoop up and then firmly grasp their targets before eating their catch. The larvae of all British dragonflies and damselflies are fierce underwater predators. They catch and consume anything which is smaller than they are, either by careful stalking or ambush. Prey may include bloodworms, water fleas, tadpoles and the larvae of mosquitoes or other aquatic insects. The larger dragonfly larvae may even catch and eat small fish!

Dragonfly larvae have a remarkable tool at their disposal when hunting prey: their lower lip is modified into a long, hinged jaw terminating in two sharp, hook-like mandibles. This is known as the “mask”. When a prey is in sight, the mask is thrust forward and the prey instantly impaled on the hooks, then drawn back to the mouth and eaten. The shape of the mask can vary greatly between species and is an important feature in larval identification. Among the species that catch and eat adult dragonflies and damselflies are birds (like the hobby); spiders, as many adults get caught in webs; frogs; and larger species of dragonflies. In the larval stage, their predators include fish, frogs, toads and newts, wildfowl, as well as other aquatic invertebrates such as water scorpions, diving beetles.

Question: What name is usually given to the larvae of insects, such as the dragonfly or mayfly?
Answer: NYMPHS