The Amazing Life Cycle of Mayflies
In The Amazing Life Cycle of Mayflies, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how mayflies emerge and reproduce during a few days in June. Male mayflies have only one purpose in life: to reproduce. After this, they die, leaving the females to fly upstream and lay their eggs. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Lesson Express
Q: How long do the mayflies feed and grow on the riverbed before emerging?
A: It takes three years before the mayflies emerge.
Q: Why is it important that the male mayfly find a female quickly?
A: The male mayflies only live for three hours and they want to reproduce.
Q: Where does the female release her eggs?
A: The female mayfly flies upstream and releases her eggs in the water.