Writing+Term1



Mayfly Report

This is a report on Mayfly’s. The main focuses in this report are: The looks of the Mayfly and the movement in the life cycle. Plus a whole bunch of facts you may never of known before you read this amazing report.

The Description and features The adult Mayfly’s have large triangular front wings with many cross veins held together over the thorax. The mayfly species have either cloudy(smokey), clear or patterned wings. Hind wings are much smaller than the front wings and may even be absent in a few (mostly small) species. The thorax and the abdomen of mayflies are bare and often shiny. Legs vary in size, with the front legs the longest and held forward when at rest. Body color varies with species, including yellow, green, white and black. Immature mayflies (naiads) have long legs and plate-like gills on the sides of the abdomen, they usually have three long thin tail projections (cerci) but a few species only have two. They have short antennae. Their body color may be green or brown but may vary by the food that is eaten. Flattened forms attach themselves to rocks or other substrates in streams.

Where does it live? Mayflies require clean, unpolluted water that generally has lots of oxygen. They are one of the first aquatic species to disappear when water pollution occurs. Mayflies live in flowing or still water.

The movement in the life cycle 1. Egg matures into a nymph. 2. The nymph lives on the bottom growing in stages called instars* until it matures. 3. The mature nymph (emerger) swims to the surface. 4. It floats along the surface until it's wings are dry enough to take flight. 5. The mayfly flies into the bushes, or trees along the river bank, where it sheds it's skin becoming an adult, (spinner), (imago). 6. The spinner leaves the trees, or bushes to begin the mating swarm. 7. The female spinner dips her eggs on the waters surface, and they fall to the streams bottom. After mating both male, and female spinners fall to the waters surface, and die.
 * Mayflies demonstrate an incomplete life cycle, because they don't undergo metamorphosis.

Males appear first beginning the mating ritual high above the water. They flutter and dance in an effort to attract a female. Soon females appear, diving into the swarm to pick out a mate. As mating progresses the swarm falls closer, and closer to the waters surface. Fluttering through the air males hold females in place with their claspers. With the mating process complete females, leave the males, and begin depositing their eggs on the water. Exhausted, males begin falling into the water. They struggle to stay alive for a time, holding their wings upright, but soon fall flat on surface. After depositing their eggs females soon follow. numerous times these periods of growth are called instars.
 * As invertebrates grow they shed their exoskeleton
 * Mayflies demonstrate an incomplete life cycle, because they don't undergo metamorphosis.

HUMAN ACTIVITY How has human activity affected the mauri of the stream and your animal? The sewerage of the humans has gone into the stream and disrupted the Mayflies which has made them leave their habitat!

What can we do as kaitiaiki to help your animal? Taking the sewerage pipes out of the streams and rivers( putting them else). So the Mayfly’s won’t leave their habitat!

CONCLUSION. So when you think of it Mayflies are pretty cool animals and next time you see one just look at the distinguishing features of it!

Writing Goal:


 * By the end of the term I want to be able to write cool poems and really awesome stories by... writing 1 story or poem a week for Homework

In term one we also did lot's of explanations! Here are a few!


 * [[file:1st explanation of the term.pages]]
 * [[file:Explanations 1.pages]]