| Size |
6.35 to 25.4 mm, ¼
to 1 inch. |
| Habitat |
Mayfly larvae can be found in lakes, ponds, rivers and
streams mostly crawling on various underwater structures. However, many mayflies are
excellent swimmers and are often seen darting through SAV. They prefer habitats
that have dense SAV and relatively clear water. |
| Reproduction |
Mayflies are a hemimetabolous order with all species
having aquatic larvae. Mating occurs when males swarm together in the air in order to
attract females. Once a female is attracted to the swarm a male will capture her and mate.
For many species, females will then deposit her eggs on the surface of the water by
repeatedly touching the water with her abdomen while in flight. The eggs then sink
to the bottom to develop and will soon hatch. Females of other species will enter the
water and lay the eggs on underwater structures, such as SAV. After laying the
eggs, the females fall to the surface of the water and die. Males die in the same fashion
one or two days later. Larvae will later crawl out of the
water and dry off. Once their exoskeleton dries and cracks, the adult climbs out
and flies away in search of a mate. Generally, the adult stage only lasts up to a few
weeks. |
| Feeding |
Mayfly larvae are predominately herbivores and detritivores
with a few predator species feeding on invertebrates. Adult mayflies do not feed and
subsequently die within a few hours or a few weeks. |
| Predators |
Adult and larval mayflies are often consumed by birds,
spiders, bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and fishes, such as trout (Salmonidae), bass
(Centrarchidae) and pickerel (Esox spp.). |
| Description |
A mayfly larva can be easily distinguished from other aquatic
larvae by two or three long "tails" located at the end of the abdomen.
Larvae are often brown with plate-like or feathery gills on each side of the lower body. |
