Perlidae

thumb|Common stoneflies, Perlidae thumb|Common stoneflies, Perlidae

The Perlidae are a family of stoneflies, with more than 50 genera and 1,100 described species. The majority of the Perlidae are found in eastern North America, but they occur worldwide except for Antarctica and parts of Africa. Their lifecycles range between one and three years. The adults emerge in the summer; they are very active and known to be attracted to light sources. They are usually very sensitive to changes in environment.