Stoneflies spend most of the lives crawling on the bottom of rapid rocky-bottomed streams. They aren’t strong swimmers, but have 2 claws at the end of each leg which helps them cling to rocks. If you find these big insects in a stream, they’ll cling to your hand as well!
Stoneflies breathe oxygen from the water through gills that look like hair or fur. The gills are found under their legs, under their bodies or beneath their head.
After 2 or 3 years in the water, stoneflies emerge from the water as adults with wings. As adults, they may only live for 1 or 2 weeks.
Stoneflies are sensitive to pollution and will only live in the very cleanest of streams.