EphemeropteraEphemeridae – Common Burrower Mayflies3 data sources

Giant Mayfly

Hexagenia limbata

This record describes Hexagenia limbata (species). Recorded family: Ephemeridae. Recorded order: Ephemeroptera.

Identification and Appearance

Giant Mayfly - Hexagenia limbata — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927

Recorded characteristics
Activity terms	flying

Terms from the source record, grouped for readability. Broad terms such as size or location are not measurements or a confirmed range.

Wikipedia reference for Hexagenia limbata: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexagenia_limbata.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
Suborder: Furcatergalia
Superfamily: Ephemeroidea
Family: Ephemeridae (Common Burrower Mayflies)
Genus: Hexagenia

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

About Mayflies: the wider group

Order-level background for Ephemeroptera, the group containing Hexagenia limbata. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

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.

Ecological role of the group

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.

Economic and practical significance of the group

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.

Recorded sources for this group: National Weather Service, EPA bioassessment protocols. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

Explore Ephemeroptera families and species →

Photos of Giant Mayfly (11)

Giant Mayfly - photo 1 — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927

Giant Mayfly - photo 2 — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927. Original downloaded bytes; proportional display only

Giant Mayfly - photo 3 — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927. Original downloaded bytes; proportional display only

Giant Mayfly - photo 4 — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927. Original downloaded bytes; proportional display only

Giant Mayfly - photo 5 — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927. Original downloaded bytes; proportional display only

Giant Mayfly - photo 6 — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927. Original downloaded bytes; proportional display only

Giant Mayfly - photo 7 — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927. Original downloaded bytes; proportional display only

Giant Mayfly - photo 8 — (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927. Original downloaded bytes; proportional display only

Photo credits: (c) Linda Jo Conn, some rights reserved (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402829927. Original downloaded bytes; proportional display only