How do mayflies mate in flight?

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A mayfly (Ephemera vulgata) with delicate, veined wings and long tail filaments clings to a green blade of grass against a blurred green background. — mayfly An adult mayfly (*Ephemera vulgata*) in Europe.

Mayflies mate during flight as part of a swarming behavior that typically occurs over water near dusk. During these mating flights, or "dances," groups of male imago (adults) fly into the breeze, moving upward and forward before floating downward in a repeated pattern.1

When females join the swarm, a male approaches from below and behind, using his elongated front legs to grasp the female’s thorax. The mating process is completed entirely on the wing. Following this, the female departs to deposit her eggs, and in most species, both adults die shortly after these reproductive activities.1