WHITE MAYFLY

WHITE MAYFLY

Ephoron album
BURROWING MAYFLY FAMILY (Polymitarcyidae)

Description
This mayfly is approxmately 3/4 inch or 20 mm in length. The pronotum is white and the thorax is tan-colored. The abdomen is white to cream-colored with gray near the tip. The eyes are black. The wings are a milky white color.

Occurrence
The frequency of occurrence is not known. This female was photographed in early July coming to artificial lights at the Wetlands garden.

Comments
There are two species in the genus Ephoron in North America. Females in this genus do not have a final molt into the imago stage, but mate and oviposit as subimagoes. The males molt into imagoes. All the legs of the females are atrophied, thus they are unable to cling to vertical surfaces. Males have functional forelegs so that they are able to grasp the females for mating.

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