Mayfly
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Adult mayflies are relatively uniform in appearance. They range from 5 mm to 3 cm long, with one or two pairs of triangular wings (the front wing is the largest) and two or three long tails or caudal filaments. The adults usually have clear wings with distinct venation. The subadults, or subimagoes, have cloudy wings.
Larval mayflies range in size from about one cm to 3 cm or more. They vary greatly in appearance from stream-lined swimmers to frilly-gilled burrowers and flattened rock-huggers. Their appearance can be quite striking with contrasting color patterns of pale yellow and dark brown to orange tinges. The unifying feature is the abdominal gills variously modified as plates or feathery gills. There can be two or three tail filaments.
Ephemeroptera are found throughout the world except Antarctica. Currently twenty families are reported from Canada represented by 321 species. The Saskatchewan fauna is made up of 107 species belonging to 18 families.
The greatest diversity of mayflies is found in cool rivers and streams. A number of species inhabit lakes particularly those with wave washed, rocky shorelines and cold water. In warm prairie sloughs and potholes only three species have been recorded. Generally mayflies require unpolluted, well-oxygenated, cool water to survive. This makes many mayfly communities useful indicators of ecosystem health. In many habitats they are important fish food, as "fly fishermen" will attest.
Saskatchewan Mayflies (Ephemeroptera)
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