Contribution to the knowledge of the adult feeding of Nemouroidea stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera)

The feeding habits of 17 species of Nemouroidea stoneflies (belonging to the families Nemouridae, Leuctridae and Capniidae) from the north‐western Iberian Peninsula are described and quantified by means of gut content analyses. As a whole, fungi, followed by pollen (both from angiosperm and, in a lesser degree, Pinaceae), leaf fragments (CPOM), detritus and, more punctually, lichens and animal matter are the most common items found in their guts. Nevertheless, variations among species were observed. For a species with a flight period that extends throughout the year, Protonemura globosa, variations in the diet were noticed among seasons, with pollen being more important during the spring and summer period. Together with a few previous studies, the present one reaffirms that feeding is an important aspect of the adult life in males and females of Nemouroidea.