Holarctic Alderflies

Sialis

Holarctic Alderflies are fascinating insects that love to live near water. They have long wings and are often seen flying around ponds and streams, where they lay their eggs.

Lebensraum: Wetlands

Aussehen

The Holarctic Alderflies has a robust, dark brown to black body and large, smoky-grey wings with many visible veins, resembling fine lace. Its head is broad with short, segmented antennae, distinguishing it from longer-antennaed caddisflies.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungMegalopteraFamilieSialidaeGattungSialis

Holarctic Alderflies

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Adult alderflies almost never eat; they live off stored energy from their youth!

Larval alderflies can live in ponds or rivers for up to two years before transforming!

Their transparent wings, though beautiful, are not meant for long-distance travel!

When disturbed, larval alderflies wiggle rapidly to escape danger in the water!

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Holarctic Alderflies larvae can breathe underwater using special abdominal gill filaments that help them thrive in aquatic environments.

Holarctic Alderflies adults live only a few days, dedicating their short time entirely to reproduction and laying eggs.

Holarctic Alderflies larvae have strong jaws and often hide in streambeds, ambushing small aquatic invertebrates that swim by.

Maße und Details

Flügelspannweite: 20-40 mm
Größe: 10-20 mm
Lebenserwartung: 3-7 Tage
Fluggeschwindigkeit: 1-5 km/h
Anzahl der Beine: 6

Ernährung und Fütterung

Alderfly larvae are fierce underwater predators, while adults usually don't eat much at all!

Altersunterschiede: Larvae are active predators, but adults typically consume only water or do not feed, focusing on reproduction.

Hauptnahrung

aquatic insect larvae
small crustaceans
worms
midge larvae
mayfly nymphs

Nahrungssuche

Ambush

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

Brown Trout

Salmo trutta

Larval alderflies are a vital food source for many fish species.

eaten by

White Wagtail

Motacilla alba

Adult alderflies are prey for various insectivorous birds near water.

hunts

Common Midge

Chironomus plumosus

Alderfly larvae actively prey on smaller midge larvae in freshwater.

hunts

Freshwater Shrimp

Gammarus pulex

Alderfly larvae consume various small aquatic invertebrates like scuds.

Merkmale

Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger leben den größten Teil ihres Lebens allein und interagieren mit Artgenossen nur zur Paarung oder zur Aufzucht der Jungen.

Allesfresser

Dieses Merkmal kennzeichnet Organismen, deren Ernährung sowohl pflanzliche als auch tierische Bestandteile umfasst.

Farbenfroh

Farbenfroh beschreibt Organismen oder Objekte, die eine große Vielfalt an leuchtenden und deutlich erkennbaren Farben aufweisen.

Feuchtgebiet

Dieses Lebensraummerkmal kennzeichnet Arten, die in Feuchtgebieten vorkommen. Dies sind Landflächen, die dauerhaft oder saisonal mit Wasser gesättigt sind, darunter Marschland, Sümpfe und Moore.