"Ephemeroptera"

#12602758

1 August 2025

The Brushlegged Mayfly (Ephemeroptera) is in Old Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, on June 26, 2025. Mayflies are unique among insects in that they moult one more time after acquiring functional wings; this is also known as the alate stage. This last-but-one winged instar usually lives a very short time, often a matter of hours, and is known as a subimago or, to fly fishermen, as a dun. Mayflies in this stage are a favorite food of many fish, and many fishing flies are modeled to resemble them. The adult mayflies are short-lived, from a few minutes to a few days depending on the species. About 2,500 species of mayflies are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America.

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#12523777

3 July 2025

The Brushlegged Mayfly (Ephemeroptera) is in Old Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Mayflies are unique among insects because they moult one more time after acquiring functional wings, known as the alate stage. This penultimate winged instar usually lives a very short time, often a matter of hours, and is known as a subimago or, to fly fishermen, as a dun. Mayflies in this stage are a favorite food of many fish, and many fishing flies are modeled to resemble them. The adult mayflies are short-lived, from a few minutes to a few days, depending on the species. About 2,500 species of mayflies are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America.

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#12381752

18 May 2025

A Hexagenia limbata is pictured in Sindhuli, Nepal, on May 18, 2025.

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#6898710

24 July 2021

Close-up of a mayfly (Hexagenia limbata) in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. Mayflies are unique among insects in that they moult one more time after acquiring functional wings (this is also known as the alate stage); this last-but-one winged instar usually lives a very short time, often a matter of hours, and is known as a subimago or to fly fishermen as a dun. Mayflies in this stage are a favourite food of many fish, and many fishing flies are modeled to resemble them. The adult mayflies are short-lived, from a few minutes to a few days depending on the species. About 2,500 species of mayflies are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America.

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#6898718

24 July 2021

Close-up of mayflies (Hexagenia limbata) in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. Mayflies are unique among insects in that they moult one more time after acquiring functional wings (this is also known as the alate stage); this last-but-one winged instar usually lives a very short time, often a matter of hours, and is known as a subimago or to fly fishermen as a dun. Mayflies in this stage are a favourite food of many fish, and many fishing flies are modeled to resemble them. The adult mayflies are short-lived, from a few minutes to a few days depending on the species. About 2,500 species of mayflies are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America.

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#6898720

24 July 2021

Close-up of mayflies (Hexagenia limbata) in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. Mayflies are unique among insects in that they moult one more time after acquiring functional wings (this is also known as the alate stage); this last-but-one winged instar usually lives a very short time, often a matter of hours, and is known as a subimago or to fly fishermen as a dun. Mayflies in this stage are a favourite food of many fish, and many fishing flies are modeled to resemble them. The adult mayflies are short-lived, from a few minutes to a few days depending on the species. About 2,500 species of mayflies are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America.

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