Stonefly Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Stoneflies Temporal range: Permian - Recent

Adult of Eusthenia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Subclass:	Pterygota
Infraclass:	Neoptera
Superorder:	Exopterygota
Order:	Plecoptera Burmeister, 1839
Suborders
Arctoperlaria

The Stonefly, also known as Plecoptera, is a type of aquatic insect. There are about 3,500 different kinds, or species, of stoneflies found all over the world. Scientists are still discovering new ones! You can find stoneflies almost everywhere, but they do not live in Antarctica.

Stoneflies are thought to be one of the oldest groups of insects that have wings. Their close relatives have been found as fossils from the Carboniferous and Lower Permian geological periods. The first true stoneflies, also known from fossils, appeared not long after that.

What Are Stoneflies?
- Stonefly Larvae
- Adult Stoneflies
Images for kids
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What Are Stoneflies?

Stoneflies are insects that spend most of their lives in water. They are known for needing very clean and cold water to survive.

Stonefly Larvae

Young stoneflies, called larvae or nymphs, live in streams and rivers. They have special claws on their legs. These claws help them hold onto rocks and other things in the water. This way, they can stay put even in strong currents.

Stonefly larvae need water that moves quickly. This is because fast-moving water has a lot of oxygen. They cannot live in warm water that has less oxygen. You will often find them in cold, clean streams with lots of turbulence, like rapids.

Adult Stoneflies

Adult stoneflies are easy to spot because their wings fold flat over their abdomen. Most adult stoneflies live only for a short time, usually just a few weeks. Their main job is to reproduce.

However, some types, like the Pteronarcys stoneflies found in North America, can live for several years as larvae before becoming adults.