Mayfliesby: Sam Easterbrook

– 2,000 species of mayflies worldwide.

– One of the oldest known animals, has been around 300,000,000 years.

– These insects are very small adults only reach about 2cm in length.

– Mayfly larvae spend two to three years in a pond or river before developing into an adult.

– For adult mayflies flight is very weak because of their very thin fragile wings.

– Unlike many other flying insects mayflies cannot walk on the ground.

– Main purpose of adult mayflies is to reproduce.

– Mayflies die almost immediately after mating.

– Adult mayflies cannot eat because of degenerate mouth parts and an incomplete digestive tract.

– The scientific name of mayflies is Ephemeroptera danica (meaning living for a day.)

– Mayflies also have well developed compound eyes.

– Females always lay eggs in water.

– Mayflies are also used for fly fishing.

– Trout especially like mayflies for bate.

– In conclusion mayflies are an interesting insect that live when young, become an adult, reproduce then die. Then the cycle starts again.

– Thank you for watching.