Pratidin Bureau
These tiny wingless insects are another contender for the shortest lifespan title. Some species of bristletails only live for a few hours as adults, focusing their short adult lives on mating and laying eggs.
These delicate insects are known for their short adult lifespans, which can range from just a few hours to a day or two. They spend most of their lives as aquatic nymphs before emerging as adults to reproduce.
Unlike worker ants that can live for several years, male drone ants only have one purpose: mating with the queen. After a successful mating flight, the drone dies shortly after. Their lifespans typically last only a few days to a couple of weeks.
These aptly named flies have a short adult lifespan of about a week. During their brief time as adults, they lay their eggs near dead rodents or other small animals. The emerging maggots then feed on the carrion.
Many midge species have short lifespans as adults, lasting anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. These tiny flies are often major players in decomposing organic matter in various ecosystems.
While adult mayflies have short lifespans, the aquatic nymph stage can last for months or even years depending on the species. However, these nymphs are vulnerable to predation in the water, so only a fraction survive to become short-lived adults.
Gastrotrichs are tiny aquatic animals found in marine and freshwater environments. Some species of gastrotrichs have extremely short lifespans, living for only a day or two.