# Green Drakes (*Ephemera*) Green Drakes are beautiful insects that live near clean water. They are known for their large wings and short life, spending most of their time as nymphs underwater before becoming adults. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Green Drakes](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Haft.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haft.jpg) ## Appearance The Green Drakes is a medium-sized mayfly with a slender, pale green to yellowish body. It has two pairs of delicate, heavily veined wings, often with a subtle smoky pattern, and three long, wispy tails extending from its abdomen. Its large, dark eyes stand out. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Ephemeroptera - **Family:** Ephemeridae - **Genus:** Ephemera ## Interesting facts - Adult Green Drakes don't even have mouths; they cannot eat during their incredibly short life! - Massive swarms of Green Drakes can show up on weather radar, sometimes mistaken for rain! - Some Green Drakes spend up to two years as underwater nymphs before becoming flying adults! - They have a unique 'dun' stage where they fly, then molt again into a 'spinner' to mate. ## Special abilities - **Gilled Respiration:** Green Drakes can breathe underwater using feathery gills along their abdomen because this helps them survive for years as nymphs. - **Adult Sprint:** Green Drakes has an incredibly short adult lifespan, lasting only hours to days, which helps them quickly reproduce and die after mating. - **Synchronized Dance:** Green Drakes can emerge in vast numbers simultaneously, creating a swarming spectacle that helps them find mates quickly and efficiently. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 30-70 mm - **Size:** 15-30 mm - **Lifespan:** 1-5 days - **Flight Speed:** 5 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Young Green Drakes munch on tiny plant bits and decaying matter in the water. - **Age differences:** Adult Green Drakes do not eat; their mouthparts are non-functional. - **Primary Foods:** algae, diatoms, decaying plant matter, organic detritus - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) — A crucial food source for trout, especially during large hatches. - **Eaten by:** [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) — Many fish, including trout, feast on Green Drake nymphs and adults. - **Hunts:** [Common Green Darner](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-green-darner) (*Anax junius*) — Dragonfly nymphs and adults actively hunt Green Drake nymphs and adults. - **Eaten by:** Green Algae (*Chlorella vulgaris*) — Nymphs graze on this common algae and other tiny plants. ## Traits - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be careful near water where they live, and always stay close to an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Green Drakes? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Green Drakes's wingspan? 30-70 mm ### How big is Green Drakes? 15-30 mm ### How long does Green Drakes live? 1-5 days ### How fast can Green Drakes fly? 5 km/h ### What does Green Drakes eat? Young Green Drakes munch on tiny plant bits and decaying matter in the water. ### Where is Green Drakes usually found? Wetlands ### How does Green Drakes hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Green Drakes: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/green-drakes)