What is Mayfly?
{{taxobox | name = Mayfly | fossil_range = late [[Carboniferous]] ([[Pennsylvanian]]) – Recent | image = Rhithrogena_germanica_subimago_on_Equisetum_hyemale.jpg | image_caption = ''Rhithrogena germanica'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Arthropod]]a | classis = [[Insect]]a | subclassis = [[Pterygota]] | infraclassis = [[Palaeoptera]] | ordo = '''Ephemeroptera''' | ordo_authrity = Hyatt & Arms, 1891 }} [[File:Mayfly Luc Viatour.JPG|thumb|right|230px|{{center|''Ephemera danica'', in [[Belgium]].}}]] [[File:Mississippi River mayfly hatch on radar.png|thumb|right|230px|{{center|[[Mississippi]] River mayfly hatch so heavy it shows up on [[weather radar]].}}]] '''Mayflies''' are insects which belong to the [[Order (biology)|Order]] '''Ephemeroptera''' (from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''ephemeros'' = [[wikt:ephemeral|ephemeral]], or short-lived; ''pteron'' = [[wing]]). The name refers to the most distinctive features of the adults. They are in an ancient group of insects, the [[Palaeoptera]], ('Ancient wings') with [[Dragonfly|dragonflies]] and [[Damselfly|damselflies]].<ref>They may not be a natural [[monophyletic]] group.Trueman J.W.H. 2008. Tree of Life Web Project – [http://tolweb.org/accessory/Pterygote_Higher_Relationships?acc_id=450] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715182744/http://tolweb.org/accessory/Pterygote_Higher_Relationships?acc_id=450 |date=2017-07-15 }}. Version of 2008-Mar-20. Retrieved 2008-Dec-15.</ref> There are over 3,000 living [[species]] of mayfly, in over 400 [[genera]] in 42 [[family (biology)|families]]. == Egg stage == At [[Sexual reproduction|mating]] the female lays her [[egg (biology)|egg]]s in the water.<ref name=Caucci29>Al Caucci; Bob Nastasi; Art Flick; et al., ''Hatches II: A Complete Guide to the Hatches of North American Trout Streams'' (Guilford, CT: Lyon's Press, 2004), p. 29</ref> They settle to the bottom where they stick to rocks, [[vegetation]] or the bottom of the [[stream]]. They range in size by the particular [[species]] of Mayfly. Depending on