Description
Mayflies are in the order Ephemeroptera, a name referring to the extremely short life of the adults. Mayflies are soft-bodied, delicate creatures, from 1/8 to 1 inch long, with triangular wings that are held upright over their body when at rest. They have two or three long antennae-like filaments at their tail end. Mayfly adults cannot feed. They live only 1 to 3 days. Large numbers of them often emerge at the same time. On certain spring and summer nights swarms of mayflies may be seen flying around lights near lakes and streams. Their dead bodies may pile up in enormous numbers. The dried out bodies and skins of mayflies cause allergy problems in some people when large flights of adults occur. Mayflies swarm and mate at twilight, and lay eggs within an hour in nearby water. The immature mayflies, known as naiads, live at the bottoms of streams, ponds, and lakes, feeding on tiny aquatic plants and animals. Naiads are wingless and have three tail-end filaments that are shorter than the body and about as long as the antennae. Most naiads live from 1 to 4 years before emerging as adults. Both naiads and adult mayflies are important food sources for fish, frogs, and other creatures in and around water.
Control
Controls are not necessary.