Is it a Mayfly

[welsh.lensman]

I took this photo at the Llanelli Wetland centre yesterday.



Looking at the book (Collins Complete British Insects) I was wondering if this could be Cloeon dipterum, or am I completely on the wrong track.
Any help in I.D. it would be appreciated.

[Kayleigh]

What a lovely photo welsh.lensman. Can't help with the id. sorry.

[Pudding4brains]

Wonderful image indeed

Can't help much either though ... going by this key I would indeed go for family Baëtida, but even faunaeur.org lists some 14 species or so for that family in Britain ... does your book show images of all these?

Anyway, if it is Cloeon dipterum, this PDF may interest you: Sowa R. (1975) What is Cloeon dipterum (Linnaeus, 1761)? The nomenclatural and morphological analysis of a group of the European species of Cloeon Leach (Ephemerida: Baetidae). in Entomologica Scandinavica 6, pp.215-223.

And maybe this PDF of the related Cloeon simile: Sowa R. (1980) Taxonomy and ecology of European species of the Cloeon simile Eaton group (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). in Entomologica Scandinavica 11, pp.249-258.

Please note I've read none of those, it's just that the titles seem helpful
Cheers! Arp

[DaiTheDragon]

Wayne, I spent over an hour on the net last night trying to get an ID, no luck.
A different view of same insect.

Dai

[Dogghound]

The problem is with this specimen is you need to see the wing veination for a positive ID and this one has recently emerged and yet to undergo its mault, then the wings become alot more transparent and easier to see. The fact its only got two wings not four should make your quest for ID easier as only afew species have just two wings.