# Mayflies (*Ephemeroptera*) Mayflies are tiny insects that love to live near water. They have delicate wings and are known for their short lives, sometimes just a day or two as adults! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Mayflies](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eintagsfliege_fg01.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fritz Geller-Grimm, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eintagsfliege_fg01.jpg) ## Appearance The Mayflies has delicate, often transparent wings held upright at rest, and a slender body that ends in two or three long, thread-like tails called cerci. They typically come in subtle shades of brown, grey, or greenish hues. Their unique winged subimago stage visually sets them apart. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Ephemeroptera - **Family:** Ephemeridae ## Interesting facts - Adult mayflies don't eat at all; they don't even have functional mouths! - Female mayflies can lay thousands of eggs in minutes, dropping them onto water! - Mayfly nymphs are pollution detectors; their presence means the water is clean! - Some mayflies have only two tails, while others have three, aiding balance! ## Special abilities - **Unique Metamorphosis:** Mayflies can shed their skin one last time \*after\* developing wings, unique in insects, to harden their final adult body. - **Underwater Breath-Holders:** Mayfly nymphs have special feathery gills along their abdomen, allowing them to breathe underwater for years. - **Mass Emergence Master:** Mayflies can emerge from water in massive, synchronized swarms, helping them overwhelm predators and find mates quickly. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 2-50 mm - **Size:** 2-30 mm - **Lifespan:** 1-7 days - **Flight Speed:** 7 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Young mayflies (nymphs) eat tiny plants and decaying bits, while adult mayflies do not eat at all! - **Age differences:** Nymphs feed on algae and decaying matter; adults do not feed and lack functional mouthparts. - **Primary Foods:** algae, diatoms, detritus, plant fragments - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) — Trout actively hunt both adult and nymph mayflies. - **Eaten by:** [Barn Swallow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barn-swallow) (*Hirundo rustica*) — Swallows expertly catch flying adult mayflies mid-air for food. - **Hunts:** [Emperor Dragonfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/emperor-dragonfly) (*Anax imperator*) — Dragonfly nymphs are fierce underwater predators of mayfly nymphs. - **Eats:** European Garden Spider (*Araneus diadematus*) — Spiders often catch adult mayflies in their intricate webs. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [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. - [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. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [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 Mayflies are harmless, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mayflies? 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 Mayflies's wingspan? 2-50 mm ### How big is Mayflies? 2-30 mm ### How long does Mayflies live? 1-7 days ### How fast can Mayflies fly? 7 km/h ### What does Mayflies eat? Young mayflies (nymphs) eat tiny plants and decaying bits, while adult mayflies do not eat at all! ### Where is Mayflies usually found? Wetlands ### How does Mayflies hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [McCalls Dam State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mccalls-dam-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park - [Indian Creek Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/indian-creek-recreation-area) — South Dakota, US · Park ## 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: [Mayflies: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mayflies)