Bug FAQTurkey Brown
Paraleptophlebia submarginata · Order: Ephemeroptera · Family: Leptophlebiidae
Turkey Brown mayflies are about 9 to 12 mm long and have long triangular front wings with much smaller round hind wings. They have a dark brown body with a darker dorsal pattern, transparent wings with visible veins, and three long tail-like cerci. These insects are abundant in European rivers and streams, where the larvae live among moss on stones and feed on tiny organic particles, while adults do not feed.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The body is dark brown with a darker back marking, transparent wings about 12 to 14 mm long and clearly veined, and three long cerci at the rear.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults reach 9 to 12 mm in length. Front wings are long and triangular; hind wings are about one-third the size and round.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are very common in upper and middle parts of European rivers and streams with stony bottoms. Larvae live among moss on stones in the water.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat small organic particles such as algae, plant debris and decaying plant material. Adult mayflies do not feed at all.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Most of their life is spent as aquatic larvae or nymphs. The subimago stage lasts about 20 hours and the adult (imago) lives up to three days.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults can be seen from early April through mid-September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is abundant throughout most of Europe in suitable river habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Turkey Brown mayflies active?
Adults are present from early April to mid-September.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
They feed on tiny organic particles like algae, plant residues and decaying plant matter.
Source: Wikipedia
Where are these mayflies found?
They are abundant in European rivers and streams with stony beds, where larvae live among moss on stones.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Leptophlebiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraleptophlebia_submarginata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.