▁and ▁bra ck ish ▁waters , ▁but ▁cannot ▁toler ate ▁a ▁p H ▁lower ▁( more ▁acid ic ) ▁than ▁ 6 . 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁food st uff s ▁of ▁H . ▁az te ca ▁are ▁fil ament ous ▁alg ae ▁and ▁di at oms , ▁although ▁they ▁may ▁also ▁consume ▁organ ic ▁det rit us . ▁It ▁cannot ▁assim il ate ▁either ▁cell ul ose ▁or ▁l ign in , ▁even ▁though ▁these ▁bi om ole cules ▁are ▁a ▁major ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁leaf ▁l itter . ▁It ▁can , ▁however , ▁assim il ate ▁ 6 0 % – 9 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁b acter ial ▁bi om ass ▁that ▁it ▁ing ests . ▁ ▁Hy ale lla ▁az te ca ▁is ▁an ▁important ▁food ▁for ▁many ▁water f ow l . ▁In ▁S ask atch ew an , ▁ 9 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁di et ▁of ▁female ▁white - wing ed ▁sc ot ers ▁was ▁observed ▁to ▁be ▁H . ▁az te ca , ▁and ▁it ▁also ▁makes ▁up ▁a ▁significant ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁di et ▁of ▁less er ▁sc au p . ▁ ▁Life ▁cycle ▁Hy ale lla ▁az te ca ▁passes ▁through ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁nine ▁inst ars ▁during ▁its ▁development . ▁Sex es ▁can ▁first ▁be ▁distinguished ▁at ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁inst ar , ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁m ating ▁occurr ing ▁in ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁inst ar . ▁Sub sequ ent ▁inst ars , ▁of ▁which ▁there ▁may ▁be ▁