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)
Nixe inconspicua
Nixe inconspicua
Nixe lucidipennis
Nixe lucidipennis
Nixe rusticalis
Nixe rusticalis
Oriental Mayfly
Ephemera orientalis
Pale Watery
Baetis fuscatus
Paracloeodes minutus
Paracloeodes minutus
Paraleptophlebia aquilina
Paraleptophlebia aquilina
Paraleptophlebia bicornuta
Paraleptophlebia bicornuta
Paraleptophlebia debilis
Paraleptophlebia debilis
Paraleptophlebia gregalis
Paraleptophlebia gregalis
Paraleptophlebia guttata
Paraleptophlebia guttata
Paraleptophlebia helena
Paraleptophlebia helena
Paraleptophlebia kirchneri
Paraleptophlebia kirchneri
Paraleptophlebia moerens
Paraleptophlebia moerens
Paraleptophlebia praepedita
Paraleptophlebia praepedita
Paraleptophlebia strigula
Paraleptophlebia strigula
Paraleptophlebia vaciva
Paraleptophlebia vaciva
Penelomax septentrionalis
Penelomax septentrionalis
Pentagenia vittigera
Pentagenia vittigera
Plauditus cestus
Plauditus cestus
Plauditus dubius
Plauditus dubius
Plauditus gloveri
Plauditus gloveri
Plauditus punctiventris
Plauditus punctiventris
Plauditus virilis
Plauditus virilis
Primitive Minnow Mayfly
Ameletus edmundsi
Procloeon nelsoni
Procloeon nelsoni
Procloeon rubropictum
Procloeon rubropictum
Procloeon rufostrigatum
Procloeon rufostrigatum
Procloeon vicinum
Procloeon vicinum
Procloeon viridoculare
Procloeon viridoculare
Pseudiron centralis
Pseudiron centralis
Raptoheptagenia cruentata
Raptoheptagenia cruentata
Rhithrogena anomala
Rhithrogena anomala
Rhithrogena brunneotincta
Rhithrogena brunneotincta
Rhithrogena flavianula
Rhithrogena flavianula
Rhithrogena hageni
Rhithrogena hageni
Rhithrogena impersonata
Rhithrogena impersonata
Rhithrogena manifesta
Rhithrogena manifesta
Scarce Summer Mayfly
Siphlonurus armatus
Sepia Dun
Leptophlebia marginata
Serratella levis
Serratella levis
Serratella micheneri
Serratella micheneri
Serratella serrata
Serratella serrata
Serratella serratoides
Serratella serratoides
Siphlonurus alternatus
Siphlonurus alternatus
Siphlonurus columbianus
Siphlonurus columbianus
Siphlonurus marshalli
Siphlonurus marshalli
Siphlonurus mirus
Siphlonurus mirus
Siphlonurus occidentalis
Siphlonurus occidentalis
Siphlonurus phyllis
Siphlonurus phyllis
Siphlonurus quebecensis
Siphlonurus quebecensis
Siphlonurus rapidus
Siphlonurus rapidus
Siphlonurus securifer
Siphlonurus securifer
Siphlonurus spectabilis
Siphlonurus spectabilis
Siphlonurus typicus
Siphlonurus typicus
Siphloplecton basale
Siphloplecton basale
Siphloplecton simile
Siphloplecton simile
Small Minnow Mayfly
Callibaetis picta
Southern Giant Mayfly
Hexagenia albivitta
Sparbarus lacustris
Sparbarus lacustris
Spinadis simplex
Spinadis simplex
Stenacron candidum
Stenacron candidum
Stenacron carolina
Stenacron carolina
Stenacron floridense 0
Stenacron floridense
Stenacron gildersleevei
Stenacron gildersleevei
Stenacron minnetonka
Stenacron minnetonka
Stenacron pallidum
Stenacron pallidum
Striped Mayfly
Ephemera lineata
Summer Mayfly
Siphlonurus lacustris
Teloganopsis deficiens
Teloganopsis deficiens
Thraulodes speciosus
Thraulodes speciosus
Timpanoga hecuba
Timpanoga hecuba
Tortopsis primus
Tortopsis primus
Tortopsis puella
Tortopsis puella
Traverella albertana
Traverella albertana
Tricorythodes dimorphus
Tricorythodes dimorphus
Tricorythodes edmundsi
Tricorythodes edmundsi
Tricorythodes explicatus
Tricorythodes explicatus
Tsalia berneri
Tsalia berneri
Turkey Brown
Paraleptophlebia submarginata
Upland Summer Mayfly
Ameletus inopinatus
Vacupernius packeri
Vacupernius packeri
White Fly
Ephoron album
White Fly
Ephoron leukon
Yellow Drake
Ephemera varia
Yellow May Dun
Heptagenia sulphurea
flapless cleft-footed minnow mayfly
Siphloplecton interlineatum