Mayflies are delicate-looking insects with one or two pairs of membranous, triangular wings, which are extensively covered with veins. At rest, the wings are held upright, like those of a butterfly.

Apr 20, 2022 · Mayflies are slender and elongated insects with two pairs of wings, six legs, and a set of antennae. Their styli are usually longer than their body. The size and color of a mayfly …

Apr 11, 2025 · mayfly, (order Ephemeroptera), any member of a group of insects known for their extremely short adult life spans and emergence in large numbers in the summer months. Worldwide, more than 2,500 species of mayflies have been described, about 700 of them in the United States and Canada.

Learn facts about the mayflies' habitat, diet, life history, and more.

Mayfly Central was launched on the web in 1995 and was the first site available on the internet dedicated to information about any single order of insects; in this instance, the Ephemeroptera (or mayflies). Emphasis has historically been on up-to-the-minute details about the diversity and distribution of mayfly species, especially in North America.

Apr 17, 2024 · Mayflies are fascinating insects that draw quite the attention from nature lovers and scientists alike. With their slender bodies and delicate wings held upright, they are an attractive sight. Large compound eyes, short antennae, and two long, threadlike cerci on their rear add to their unique appearance.

Mar 17, 2025 · Mayflies have thin bodies and clear, veined wings that resemble those of a dragonfly. They have four wings, although the larger forewings usually overlap the smaller …

The resource involves information about mayflies, especially the taxonomy and geographic distribution of species in North America and Central America. Undergirding all of this is a premier research and reference collection of mayflies housed in the Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC).

Mayflies are common around freshwater wetlands, from fast-flowing rivers to still lakes, where the larvae spend their lives underwater, feeding on algae and plants. In the summer, the adults hatch out - sometimes simultaneously and in their hundreds; they have very short lives (just hours in some cases), during which they display and breed.

Jun 5, 2024 · Mayflies have been a focus of our research for decades because they are a hallmark of healthy streams and rivers. Dave Funk captured this amazing video, now viewed more than 125,000 times, of mayfly eggs hatching just one minute after being laid.