#sialis

Alderfly - Sialis sp.

Another set of pictures from a Muskoka trip earlier in the year. Sitting on a deck chair, there is a Megalopteran order insect, named so for the large, clumsy-looking wings relative to body size. This specimen is an Alderfly, species unknown. Similar to Dragonflies, their young are aquatic, with eggs laid near water and upon hatching, they viciously eat anything that gets in their way. As they grow, they’ll eventually pupate and metamorphosis into the adult you see before you. However, any unlucky Alderfly larvae can also find themselves used as fishing bait. Good thing this one made it ok. Unlike Dragonflies however, mature Alderflies aren’t very strong fliers and don’t eat all that much if anything during their adulthood. This actually gives them more in common with Mayflies actually. Upon achieving adulthood and spreading their wings, they look for mates to begin the process again, the pupae overwintering in the water. 

Update: More pictures (5-8) added on May 7, 2019. This is another Alderfly individual, but still a Sialis spp. This one preferred the bonfire pit for a short walk rather than the deck chair. They certainly can move very quickly using their legs...taking a picture of this individual was much trickier. Maybe it was hoping to blend in among the charred branches and wood? It certainly wasn’t looking for food. Soon after, it (like the one before it), flew away towards the water. While fleeting, I’m glad I got the chance to see one of these insects on one the few days it had to live its adult life. Godspeed brave Alderflies!

sialis replied to your photoset

STOOOOOOOOP I say but I didn’t just loop the scene and transcribed everything and deleted out of shame

thank you for the translation!! I’m still laughing omg