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 * Camp Movie/Reflection**

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__** Bug Study Information Report-Mayfly **__

__ Introduction __ The Mayfly is an interesting bug to study because it has so many interesting characteristics and features. A common fact known about the mayfly is that adult mayflies live for a short period of time, so they try to mate as young and quick as possible.

__ Habitat __ Mayflies habitat includes rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and sometimes the bottom of rocks. Most species of mayflies are sensitive to pollution, poison or harmful waste that may pollute the stream or river the live in or harm there health. They are usually the first specie of bug to disappear when a river or stream becomes poll Adult mayflies are weak fliers and usually stay very close to the surface of water where they grew up.

__ Diet __ Immature mayflies (naiads) have chewing mouthparts. They are also aquatic and feed by scavenging small pieces of algae or plant material and debris that gather on rocks in streams. Adult mayflies don’t feed on anything because they have non-functional mouthparts. A few species attack and eat the aquatic, or water-living, larvae of flies.

__ Appearance __ Pre-adult (Subimagoes) and adult mayflies (imagoes) have large wings that have lots of veins crossing over holding the wings upright. Pre-adult mayflies wings are cloudy in appearance while the adult mayflies wings are clear in appearance. The thorax and the abdomen of the mayfly are bare and often shiny. depending on the species, the mayfly comes in many different colors including yellow, green, white, brown and black. The mayfly sometimes changes its body color when it has just digested something the he or she has just eaten.

__ Life Cycle __ Adult mayflies have a very short life. They may only survive for about 1 or 2 nights. During that time the adult mayflies mate. They do this by flying around in the air. Sometimes the adult mayfly doesn’t live long enough to eat. Female mayflies lay eggs into the surface of a stream or river and usually die after. The mayfly is the only specie of insect that molts once they have wings. Developing wings is the last part of immature mayflies becoming adult mayflies. New Immature mayflies don’t develop wings until they are adults. A typical life cycle would last for about a year.

__ Predators __ Mayflies are an important food source for fish and other bugs that live around streams or rivers because mayflies lay eggs into rivers which mean that other fish and bugs can swim up to the surface and eat the eggs or if they are lucky, get the actual bug before it dies.

__ Locomotion __ The mayfly crawls or clings to the bottom of aquatic plants. Sometimes it swims around the stream or river using its tail and abdomen to push it through the water. When in flight, adult mayflies may sometimes go for swarming flights dipping in and out of the water.