mayflies
Brief-lived water insects
Mayflies are delicate winged insects known for their extremely short adult lifespan—often just a day or two.
They emerge in large swarms near freshwater, mate, and die quickly, having no functional mouthparts for eating.
The name reflects their peak emergence in late spring.
Their brief lives make them symbols of transience: Fame is fleeting as a mayfly.
Nature spirit or larva
- larvaImmature feeding stage
- emergenceComing into existence
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- moltingPeriodic shedding of covering
imago · instar · hatch · spinner · dun · naiad · development · maturation
Atmospheric water vapor mass
- hatchOpening in deck or floor
- emergenceComing into existence
- aggregationCombined collection of items
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
mass · throng · multitude · cluster · blizzard · plague · infestation · radar
Steady continuous flow
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- troutFreshwater game fish
- riffleRapid page flipping
- currentDirected flow of charge
benthos · gills · silt · algae · riparian · substrate · oxygenation · river
nymph
Nature spirit or larva
- larvaImmature feeding stage
- emergenceComing into existence
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
molting · imago · instar · hatch · spinner · dun · naiad · development · maturation · egg-laying
cloud
Atmospheric water vapor mass
- hatchOpening in deck or floor
- emergenceComing into existence
- aggregationCombined collection of items
congregation · mass · throng · multitude · cluster · blizzard · plague · infestation · radar · streetlight
stream
Steady continuous flow
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- troutFreshwater game fish
- riffleRapid page flipping
current · benthos · gills · silt · algae · riparian · substrate · oxygenation · river · creek
short-lived
Lasting only briefly
momentary · one-day · fragile · delicate · mouthless · dance · mating · twilight · dusk · summer
insect
Six-legged invertebrate
- arthropodJointed-limb invertebrate phylum
- invertebrateAnimal sans backbone
- hexapodSix-legged arthropod
winged · antennae · forewing · hindwing · thorax · abdomen · venation · taxonomy · specimen
mayfliestortoises
Shelled land reptiles
bristlecone pines · elephants · parrots · koi · lobsters
mayfliesdragonflies
Large hovering predatory insects
damselflies · cicadas · queen bees · diving beetles · water beetles