The Mayfly's Two Clocks
In short: The giant burrowing mayfly, Hexagenia limbata, spends 4 months to 2 years as an aquatic nymph, while its mating adult stage lasts up to 2 days, so the short life in the order's name describes only its final, winged stages.
A 1:20 short film in the series “Nature: How Long Can It Live?”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: University of Florida, IFAS Extension (Featured Creatures; authors Alexander B. Orfinger and Andrea Lucky), “Giant Burrowing Mayfly (suggested common name) Hexagenia limbata (Serville 1829) (Insecta: Ephemeroptera: Ephemeroidea: Ephemeridae)”; BioKids (Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species), University of Michigan, adapted from the Animal Diversity Web, “Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Hexagenia limbata: INFORMATION”; U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Great Lakes Science Center, “Life cycle of a mayfly Hexagenia limbata in the St. Marys River between Lakes Superior and Huron”; NC State University, Department of Entomology (ENT 425 General Entomology course site), “Order Ephemeroptera – ENT 425 – General Entomology”; Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Mayfly | Insects, Life Span, Aquatic Larvae, Metamorphosis, & Facts | Britannica”.
Sources used in this film
- University of Florida, IFAS Extension (Featured Creatures; authors Alexander B. Orfinger and Andrea Lucky) — Giant Burrowing Mayfly (suggested common name) Hexagenia limbata (Serville 1829) (Insecta: Ephemeroptera: Ephemeroidea: Ephemeridae) · View →
- BioKids (Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species), University of Michigan, adapted from the Animal Diversity Web — Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Hexagenia limbata: INFORMATION · View →
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Great Lakes Science Center — Life cycle of a mayfly Hexagenia limbata in the St. Marys River between Lakes Superior and Huron · View →
- NC State University, Department of Entomology (ENT 425 General Entomology course site) — Order Ephemeroptera – ENT 425 – General Entomology · View →
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Mayfly | Insects, Life Span, Aquatic Larvae, Metamorphosis, & Facts | Britannica · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: University of Florida, IFAS Extension (Featured Creatures; authors Alexander B. Orfinger and Andrea Lucky): Giant Burrowing Mayfly (suggested common name) Hexagenia limbata (Serville 1829) (Insecta: Ephemeroptera: Ephemeroidea: Ephemeridae)
- Also: BioKids (Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species), University of Michigan, adapted from the Animal Diversity Web: Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Hexagenia limbata: INFORMATION
- Also: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Great Lakes Science Center: Life cycle of a mayfly Hexagenia limbata in the St. Marys River between Lakes Superior and Huron
- Also: NC State University, Department of Entomology (ENT 425 General Entomology course site): Order Ephemeroptera – ENT 425 – General Entomology
- Also: Mayfly | Insects, Life Span, Aquatic Larvae, Metamorphosis, & Facts | Britannica
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