Outdoor seating in urban areas, particularly near rivers and water bodies, has a significant yet often overlooked impact on the life cycle of mayflies. These ephemeral insects, crucial to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, face multiple challenges due to human infrastructure.

Mayflies spend most of their lives as nymphs in water, emerging briefly as adults to mate and die. Outdoor seating near their habitats disrupts this delicate cycle in several ways. Artificial lighting from cafes and restaurants attracts adult mayflies away from mating sites, reducing reproduction rates. Increased foot traffic and pollution from outdoor dining areas can also degrade water quality, harming nymph development.

Moreover, the heat retention of concrete and furniture near water edges alters microclimates, potentially accelerating or delaying emergence cycles. Urban planners and businesses must consider these effects to preserve mayfly populations, which serve as vital bioindicators and food sources for other species. Mitigation strategies like shielded lighting, buffer zones, and eco-friendly materials can help balance urban leisure with ecological sustainability.