How many stages are in a mayfly life cycle?
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mayfly
An adult mayfly (Ephemera vulgata) in Europe.
The life cycle of a mayfly consists of four distinct stages:
- Egg: Eggs are deposited in water and may hatch in about two weeks, though some species undergo a period of dormancy known as diapause.
- Nymph: This aquatic immature stage is the longest part of the life cycle, typically lasting from two weeks to two years.
- Subimago: Also known as a dun, this is a unique winged stage that emerges from the nymphal skin. Mayflies are the only insects that molt after developing functional wings.
- Imago: The final, sexually mature adult stage (sometimes called a spinner), which emerges after the subimago sheds its exoskeleton one last time.12