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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) » Common Burrower Mayflies (Ephemeridae)

Family Ephemeridae - Common Burrower Mayflies

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Mayfly - Hexagenia - male Giant, or Burrower, Mayfly (Imago) - Hexagenia - female Large Mayfly (subimago) - Hexagenia - male Large Mayfly Subimago Portrait - Hexagenia - male Hexagenia limbata, Side View - Hexagenia Is this a Mayfly - Hexagenia Dewy Mayfly - Hexagenia mayfly - Hexagenia
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
Family Ephemeridae (Common Burrower Mayflies)
Numbers
Three genera, 13 species in North America (1)
Size
10-30 mm
Identification
Large size, "strongly divergent M and Cu veins in front wings." (1) Hindwings small.

"Naiads have long cylidrical bodies, tapered at both ends, shapr mandibles that curve outward like tusks, long fringed antenna, three cauda (anal filaments) and legs adapted for digging in the mud." (2)

Arnett order #6 family #11. (1)
Habitat
Streams, lakes and nearby.
Season
Summer.
Food
Adults do not feed.
Life Cycle
Larvae burrow in sand, silt of streams, lakes. Adults come to lights.
Print References
Arnett, p. 116, fig. 6.9 (1)
Swan and Papp, p. 167 (2)
Internet References
Mayflies of the United States
ITIS
Aquatic Insects of Michigan
Freshwater Macro-Invertebrates of New Brunswick--photos of naiad
Insects of Cedar Creek--no photos
Works Cited
1.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
By Ross H. Arnett
2.The Common Insects of North America
By Lester A. Swan, Charles S. Papp
Contributed by Cotinis on 24 March, 2005 - 4:37am

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