Scientists have managed to find a rare insect after it supposedly went extinct more than two decades ago. The Behningia baei, a species of mayfly that hasn’t been seen since 2002, were rediscovered in the Mae Chaem River in Thailand this past year.
This rediscovery ends a long gap in humanity’s entomological records. Until now, B. baei had vanished from every expedition since its formal description in 2006, with no actual sightings since 2002. The main difference between this study and others looking for the creature is that the team behind the find didn’t look to the skies for fluttering adults. Instead, they searched beneath the surface.
One reason for this is because these mayflies only tend to live a matter of hours or days in their final form — the form we most often see fluttering around if you live anywhere near mayfly territory. However, by using kick nets to stir the sandy riverbed, the researchers were able to uncover juveniles of the species, called nymphs, like little hidden grains of rice in the sand. These juvenile mayflies spend nearly their entire lives buried in fine sediments, making them much easier to locate than their short-lived adult forms.
The rediscovery of this rare insect is important for more than just telling scientists where it lives. Mayflies are essential to freshwater ecosystems, as they move nutrients from algae to fish, birds, and other animals. They’re also an important indicator of the health of a stream or river as their gills require clean, oxygen-rich water. As such, their discovery in the Mae Chaem confirms that the river remains a healthy habitat.
Future work, like DNA barcoding, will confirm the species’ identity and rule out any hidden relatives. The team also plans to explore nearby tributaries before the rainy season begins. Meanwhile, they’re training local students to help with future surveys. This widespread community involvement could turn rare finds of the insect juveniles into a regular means of monitoring data about the mayflies.
Considering the current state of the world’s climate, and the fact that common farm chemicals might be killing off many insects, this discovery is a massive win for conservationists.
