~Alderflies are highly prized bait for fishermen (Herbert 1965).

~It can take up to 3 weeks for the larvae to create a burrow (Gallon et al. 2008).

~Alderflies are sensitive to light so they are primarily active at night. This is the reason for finding a shady place for egg placement (Gallon et al. 2008).

~Female alderflies are larger than males (Locklin et al. 2006).

~Some alderflies, such as Sialis velata, can survive in low oxygen concentrated waters by using special appendages called caudal respiratory tubes. These tubes function like snorkels giving the larvae access to oxygen from the above surface of water (EcoSpark).

~Male genitalia is a key feature to understanding the evolutionary relations in the order Sialidae (Whiting 1991).

Adult alderfly. Photo by Crystal Ray

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