Mayflies might be here today and gone tomorrow, but their short lives have a big impact.

They spend most of their lives underwater as nymphs, helping to keep streams clean by feeding on algae and organic debris. When they emerge as adults, they only live for a day or two. But in that brief time, they become a vital food source for fish, birds, bats, and other wildlife.

And mayflies aren’t alone. Many insects live short lives—but in that time, they pollinate plants, build soil, cycle nutrients, and support food webs in ways we often overlook.

So the next time you see a cloud of mayflies rising by the water, remember that fleeting doesn’t mean unimportant. These tiny insects are doing some heavy ecological lifting.

 

American Institute of Metaphysics  ·

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Tatzelwurm: The Tatzelwurm is a mysterious cryptid that makes its home in the Alps. 

Though sightings of the creature are uncommon, the Tatzelwurm has managed to become

 a beast of legend in the local communities and has amassed a variety of different alias’s

 such as Stollenwurm, Daazelwurm, Arassas, Praatzelwurm and Springwurm.