Family: Ephemeridae, Burrowing Mayflies view all from this family

Description 3/4-1 1/8" (18-30 mm) excluding 2 tail filaments. Pale golden yellow with brown midline on top of head, thorax, and tip of abdomen. Pale brown band across abdominal segments 2-5. Antennae, legs, and tails yellow. Wings clear to amber with yellow along front margins.

Food Adult does not feed. Naiad scrapes diatoms and other algae from the bottom mud and submerged vegetation.

Life Cycle Eggs are dropped on water surface and sink to the bottom, where they hatch. Naiads feed in bottom mud for 12 months, reaching full size by autumn or overwintering and completing growth in spring. Subimagos emerge May-August and in 12-24 hours transform to adults.

Habitat Near large rivers and quiet lakes with sandy or silty bottoms.

Range Widespread in eastern North America.

Discussion Naiads are important food for fish and dragonfly naiads. Adults are eaten by swallows and other insectivorous birds. For bait, fishermen use both wet flies that resemble the naiads and dry flies that look like adults.