# Mayfly (*Ephemera (Mayfly)*)

Mayflies are delicate insects that often dance above the water. They have very short lives but are beautiful to watch!

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Rivers and streams
- **Also known as:** Dayfly, Ephemeroptera

![Mayfly](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425836/objects/5570.jpg)

## Appearance

The Mayfly has a soft, delicate body with two pairs of translucent, often veined wings held upright like sails when at rest. It is usually dull in color, ranging from brownish to yellowish, and is distinctively characterized by two or three long, thread-like tails called cerci.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Ephemeroptera
- **Family:** Ephemeridae
- **Genus:** Ephemera

## Interesting facts

- Adult mayflies have no mouth or stomach; they don't eat anything in their short lives!
- Mayflies are super ancient, with fossils showing they have existed for over 300 million years!
- Scientists can tell how clean a river is by counting the different kinds of mayfly larvae.
- Thousands of mayflies can emerge from water at the exact same time, creating huge swarms!

## Special abilities

- **Fleeting Life:** Mayfly adults have an incredibly short lifespan, often just a day, that helps them focus solely on reproduction before quickly perishing.
- **Underwater Breather:** Mayfly larvae possess feathery gills that allow them to extract oxygen and breathe underwater in fast-flowing streams and rivers.
- **Double Molt:** Mayfly has a unique subimago stage, where it molts one last time as a winged insect, making it the only insect to do so.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 10-50 mm
- **Size:** 5-30 mm
- **Lifespan:** 1-7 days
- **Flight Speed:** 3.5 km/h
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

Mayfly larvae munch on tiny plant bits and decaying matter found in the water.

- **Age differences:** Adults do not eat, but larvae feed on algae and detritus.
- **Primary Foods:** algae, diatoms, detritus, decaying plant matter
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) — A key food source for many freshwater fish.
- **Eaten by:** [Barn Swallow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barn-swallow) (*Hirundo rustica*) — Flying adults are eagerly snatched by birds.
- **Eaten by:** Green Darner (*Anax junius*) — Dragonflies prey on emerging adult mayflies.

## Traits

- [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.
- [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.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)
- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects-and-bugs)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Mayfly?

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 Mayfly's wingspan?

10-50 mm

### How big is Mayfly?

5-30 mm

### How long does Mayfly live?

1-7 days

### How fast can Mayfly fly?

3.5 km/h

### What does Mayfly eat?

Mayfly larvae munch on tiny plant bits and decaying matter found in the water.

### Where is Mayfly usually found?

Rivers and streams

### How does Mayfly 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*)

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Source: [Mayfly: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mayfly)