Aquatic insect eggs just above the waterline along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon

Aquatic insect eggs are laid on rocks just at the waterline along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon and here they are exposed as the water levels fluctuate. Aquatic insects are an important part of the food base in the Colorado River, providing food for fish, bats, and birds. Aquatic insects need to stay damp to survive and hatch. For more information about macroinvertebrates and management actions to help increase their numbers, see: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/southwest-biological-science-center/science/aquatic-insects and https://www.usgs.gov/centers/southwest-biological-science-center/science/bug-flows-improving-food-web-health-colorado