Presenter: Tabitha Weir, College of Science, Biology
Authors: Tabitha Weir
Faculty Advisor: Heath Ogden, College of Science, Biology
Institution: Utah Valley University
The Mayflies of Utah Mayflies are an important, but usually unseen part of every freshwater system. They provide food for many different species - ranging from other invertebrates to birds and even mammals- and are integral parts of nutrient and carbon cycling. Outside of their ecological niche, mayflies are important to humans for their use in indicating good water quality and as a favorite lure in fly fishing. While there are multiple aquatic invertebrate databases that list all known North American species and what states to find them in, these guides are, in some ways, outdated and incomplete. They do not reflect loss of species and the new species being found each year. Nor do they focus at the county level. The goal of this research is to investigate the species of Ephemeroptera in Utah, focusing on the distribution and location throughout the state. Three main efforts will be used to accomplish this goal. 1) literature and database searching, 2) visiting mayfly collections in local museums, and 3) field work to survey less known regions of the state. The main outcome will be a current county-by-county guide for each species of mayfly.