life span

[hopalong]

which living creature has the shortest lifespan

[smudge]

The wasps buzzing round our patio table when we're eating!

[Wisebird]

Smudge, this is uncanny. I was just going to post the very same answer!

[Jackanory]

Could be dragonfly. They live for only 24 hours. I agree with smudge & Anniekon about the wasps though!

[Phantaxus]

no its not a dragonfly its the mayfly but the 24hr bit is the length of its adult life the larval stage is longer http://www.earthlife.net/insects/ephemer.html

[smudge]

Good morning Anniekon, great minds think alike!

[smudge]

P.S. Yes, it is uncanny as nearly every time I went to post last night, you were directly in front of me! Good tho' isn't it!

[peanut]

could be the turtle

[Wisebird]

Peanut, I thought turtles could live longer than we do!

[smudge]

So did I?

[New Forester]

Phantaxus is right about mayfly rather than dragonfly -- and about the larval stage being much longer. Mayflies live for a year or more before they hatch into adults. Their whole lives are therefore quite long. What about much smaller creatures? Many single-celled animals live for a very short time -- each generation may be a few days or less. Though as most them reproduce by division, perhaps in a way it's them who are immortal ( not the mythical crab...). Many smaller invertebrates have a lifespan of a couple of weeks. Shortest lifespan of a mammal will be some kind of shrew I think -- several generations a year. Other small mammals can live a very long time, such as some bats at up to 20 or 30 years. Likewise many small birds live only one or two years, but others perhaps a couple of decades (eg chiff-chaff). Turtle or tortoise could be right, if only the question had been "longest"... Some animals can dry out completely for many decades, and so "live" a long time that way -- for example, water bears and some rotifers -- I think over 100 years has been recorded. (Somehow this reminds me of Woody Allen and an excellent trad jazz soundtrack...)

[Shadow]

IT IS A MAYFLY WHICH ONLY LIVES FOR ONE HOUR. IT HAS TO MATE WITH IN ONE HOUR AND FEED IN ONE HOUR AND THEN HE'S DEAD. ITS AS IF WHEN THE BABY'S BORN HE'S LIKE 10 YEARS OLD AND EVERY MINUTE HE GETS A YEAR OLDER!!