M is for mayflies

It’s that time of year again: when for a few short weeks the surface of freshwaters across the world will come alive with the movement of clouds of dancing mayflies.

We’ve featured this wonderful insect extensively in the past. Craig Macadam of the Riverflies Partnership wrote excellent two articles, ‘The mayfly’s lifecycle: a fascinating, fleeting story‘ and ‘The curious history of the mayfly‘.

Paul Gaskell of the Wild Trout Trust wrote a great piece ‘Mayfly in the classroom’ on using mayflies in freshwater citizen science and education projects.  Esteemed angler and naturalist Malcolm Greenhalgh contributed a fascinating article on the close relationship between mayflies and fly fisherman.

Szabolcs Lengyel – Assistant Professor of Ecology, University of Debrecen, Hungary – took inspiration from the art world to suggest a novel solution – wrapping bridges – for an unusual ecological problem for mayflies. And finally, we like the film on mayfly lifecycles embedded at the top, by FishOnProductions.

Hopefully you’ll be able to get out and about this month to see a mayfly hatch, and witness this wonderful natural spectacle for yourself.