CLEVELAND — Millions of mayflies showed up on the Power of 5 radar Tuesday night—a sign of a healthy Lake Erie.
Its May Fly Season...They show up by the millions on our Power of 5 Doppler radar. They dont bite and its a sign of a healthy lake... #ohwx @News5Cleveland pic.twitter.com/6flOP7aCNA
— Mark Johnson (@MarkJWeather) June 24, 2020
When the water temps start warming closer to 60 degrees, which it's doing in the western basin of Lake Erie, the midges start swarming. The larvae, or bloodworms, have been there for weeks. It's the warmth, though, that brings them to the surface. Next step in the midge life cycle is reproduction.
While mayflies are a nuisance, they are harmless.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, there are more than 2,500 species of mayflies worldwide and about 700 in the United States. Adult mayflies’ lifespans are very short, lasting usually only several days.
RELATED: Warmer water temperature attracts midges near Lake Erie
