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Metamorphoses: complete North American Families: 17 North American Species: 611 |
Ephemeroptera
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Description: Mayflies are small to medium sized, elongate, and very soft-bodied. The abdomen is long and slender with two to three long threadlike tails. Adults have two pairs of membranous wings with numerous veins. The front wings are usually large and triangular and the hind wings are small and rounded. Some species have hind wings that are very small or absent. The wings are held together above body when at rest. The antennae are small, bristlelike, and inconspicuous. The front legs of males are longer than the other legs, sometimes as long or longer than the body. Adults have vestigial mouthparts. |
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| Comments: Mayflies are common near ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. The immature stages are aquatic. The nymphs molt at the water surface to a winged form, the subimago, which molts again to become an adult. Mayflies are the only insects that have this type of molting. They often emerge in huge numbers from lakes and rivers and pile up along nearby shores or roads. The emerging adults form large swarms where mating takes place. Mayflies are an important food source for freshwater fish, birds, amphibians, spiders and predaceous insects. | |||
Families in this Order |
 Baetidae: Small mayflies Size: 2 to 12 mm |
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