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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Mayflies (Ephemeroptera)
Photo#175849
Mayfly eggs
Copyright © 2008 tom murray

Mayfly eggs
Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA
April 6, 2008
These small egg masses were attached to the underside of a rock in a fast running stream.
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Contributed by tom murray on 7 April, 2008 - 8:54am
Last updated 4 May, 2008 - 9:40pm

Baetis (mayfly) seems likely...
As far as I can tell, stoneflies always drop their eggs into the water in loose masses, which quickly break up in the water. Many mayflies also simply drop their eggs into the water, but I have in my notes that "Baetis females crawl under the water, even in rapid currents, to lay eggs in characteristic quarter-inch square patches on rocks" ... another source noted that the "B. posticatus female crawls under the water to lay her eggs in a gelatinous mass of 80-300."

What do you think? Does the size seem right?
… Charley Eiseman, 4 May, 2008 - 8:54pm login or register to post comments

 
Sounds like the description fits
The entire mass was less than an inch, and it looks like there are several masses joined together. Thanks for the info Charley!
… tom murray, 4 May, 2008 - 9:42pm login or register to post comments

 
Photo
Just found a photo of Baetis egg masses on this page. They don't look like a perfect match, but I don't have a better hypothesis at this point.
… Charley Eiseman, 26 January, 2009 - 2:40am login or register to post comments

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