Mayflies
Order Ephemeroptera
The Mayflies (Order Ephemeroptera) includes 387 species across 22 families and 82 genera in our directory.
About Mayflies
Ephemeroptera (mayflies) includes ~3,500 described species. Adult mayflies are famous for their extraordinarily short lifespans - some species live as adults for only 5 minutes to 24 hours, the shortest adult lifespan of any insect.
Economic Impact
Mayfly hatches are so massive they appear on weather radar - a 2014 Mississippi River hatch near La Crosse, Wisconsin was tracked by the National Weather Service. Mass emergences can cause slippery road conditions and traffic hazards.
Ecological Role
Mayfly nymphs spend 1-2 years developing in freshwater before emerging as adults. They are key bioindicators - their presence indicates clean, well-oxygenated water. They are also a primary food source for freshwater fish.
Families in Ephemeroptera (22)
Species in Ephemeroptera (387)
Epeorus margarita
Epeorus margarita
Epeorus namatus
Epeorus namatus
Epeorus permagnus
Epeorus permagnus
Epeorus punctatus
Epeorus punctatus
Epeorus suffusus
Epeorus suffusus
Epeorus vitreus
Epeorus vitreus
Ephemera blanda
Ephemera blanda
Ephemera simulans
Ephemera simulans
Ephemerella aurivillii
Ephemerella aurivillii
Ephemerella dorothea
Ephemerella dorothea
Ephemerella excrucians
Ephemerella excrucians
Ephemerella invaria
Ephemerella invaria
Ephemerella maculata
Ephemerella maculata
Ephemerella subvaria
Ephemerella subvaria
Ephemerella tibialis
Ephemerella tibialis
Ephemerella verruca
Ephemerella verruca
European Green Drake
Ephemera danica
Eurylophella aestiva
Eurylophella aestiva
Eurylophella bicolor
Eurylophella bicolor
Eurylophella doris
Eurylophella doris
Eurylophella funeralis
Eurylophella funeralis
Eurylophella lodi
Eurylophella lodi
Eurylophella prudentalis
Eurylophella prudentalis
Eurylophella temporalis
Eurylophella temporalis
Eurylophella verisimilis
Eurylophella verisimilis
Fallceon quilleri
Fallceon quilleri
Four-lined Giant Mayfly
Ephemera glaucops
Giant Mayfly
Hexagenia limbata
(c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Habrophlebia vibrans
Habrophlebia vibrans
Habrophlebiodes americana
Habrophlebiodes americana
Heptagenia adaequata
Heptagenia adaequata
Heptagenia culacantha
Heptagenia culacantha
Heptagenia elegantula
Heptagenia elegantula
Heptagenia flavescens
Heptagenia flavescens
Heptagenia marginalis
Heptagenia marginalis
Heptagenia pulla
Heptagenia pulla
Heptagenia solitaria
Heptagenia solitaria
Heterocloeon amplum
Heterocloeon amplum
Heterocloeon curiosum
Heterocloeon curiosum
Heterocloeon petersi
Heterocloeon petersi
Hexagenia atrocaudata
Hexagenia atrocaudata
Hexagenia orlando
Hexagenia orlando
Hexagenia rigida
Hexagenia rigida
Homoeoneuria alleni
Homoeoneuria alleni
Ironodes lepidus
Ironodes lepidus
Ironodes nitidus
Ironodes nitidus
Isonychia arida
Isonychia arida
Isonychia bicolor
Isonychia bicolor
Isonychia campestris
Isonychia campestris
Isonychia georgiae
Isonychia georgiae
Isonychia intermedia
Isonychia intermedia
Isonychia obscura
Isonychia obscura
Isonychia rufa
Isonychia rufa
Isonychia sicca
Isonychia sicca
Isonychia tusculanensis
Isonychia tusculanensis
Isonychia velma
Isonychia velma
Iswaeon anoka
Iswaeon anoka
Labiobaetis propinquus
Labiobaetis propinquus
Lake Olive
Cloeon simile
Large Brook Dun
Ecdyonurus torrentis
Large Dark Olive
Baetis rhodani
Leptophlebia intermedia
Leptophlebia intermedia
Leptophlebia nebulosa
Leptophlebia nebulosa
Leptophlebia pacifica
Leptophlebia pacifica
Leucrocuta aphrodite
Leucrocuta aphrodite
Leucrocuta hebe
Leucrocuta hebe
Leucrocuta jewetti
Leucrocuta jewetti
Leucrocuta juno
Leucrocuta juno
Leucrocuta maculipennis
Leucrocuta maculipennis
Leucrocuta minerva
Leucrocuta minerva
Leucrocuta petersi
Leucrocuta petersi
Leucrocuta thetis
Leucrocuta thetis
Leucrocuta umbratica
Leucrocuta umbratica
Leucrocuta walshi
Leucrocuta walshi
Litobrancha recurvata
Litobrancha recurvata
Little Dark Hendrickson
Ephemerella needhami
Little Slate-Winged Dun
Ecdyonurus criddlei
Maccaffertium carlsoni
Maccaffertium carlsoni
Maccaffertium exiguum
Maccaffertium exiguum
Maccaffertium ithaca
Maccaffertium ithaca
Maccaffertium luteum
Maccaffertium luteum
Maccaffertium mediopunctatum
Maccaffertium mediopunctatum
Maccaffertium meririvulanum
Maccaffertium meririvulanum
Maccaffertium mexicanum
Maccaffertium mexicanum
Maccaffertium modestum
Maccaffertium modestum
Maccaffertium pudicum
Maccaffertium pudicum
Maccaffertium pulchellum
Maccaffertium pulchellum
Maccaffertium terminatum
Maccaffertium terminatum
March Brown Mayfly
Maccaffertium vicarium
Matriella teresa
Matriella teresa
Metretopus borealis
Metretopus borealis
Monkagero
Ephemera strigata
Neochoroterpes oklahoma
Neochoroterpes oklahoma
Neoephemera youngi
Neoephemera youngi
Neoleptophlebia adoptiva
Neoleptophlebia adoptiva
Neoleptophlebia assimilis
Neoleptophlebia assimilis
Neoleptophlebia heteronea
Neoleptophlebia heteronea
Neoleptophlebia memorialis
Neoleptophlebia memorialis
Neoleptophlebia mollis
Neoleptophlebia mollis
Nixe horrida
Nixe horrida