CLEVELAND — If you drove around Downtown Cleveland Wednesday evening, it's safe to say the area was buzzing with activity.
“We’re here to rock. For those about to rock, we salute you,” said one group of fans.
The same group of fans, filled with people like Kelsey Allmon, also came across some unwanted friends, otherwise known as midges, while enjoying the show.
“I’ve been listening to ACDC since I was born, so it’s really exciting just to see somebody who’s been around for as long as they have,” said Allmon.
Still, fans said the midges and the rain were not a good enough reason to miss the show.
“They might be a bother, but I’m going to be too distracted by the good music going on and seeing the band that I don’t think it’ll matter too much to me,” said Matthew Schneider.
Others, like Julie Brown, said she would try to keep her mouth closed while rocking out, even though she acknowledged it’s a possibility that she may swallow a midge.
“That’s why I have a hood just in case,” said Brown.
Meanwhile, Jeff Hausrath said he doesn’t care about the midges and couldn’t imagine missing the concert for a swarm of bugs.
“Who wouldn’t want to see ACDC in concert? C’mon. They are an epic band,” said Hausrath.
Nonetheless, the midges have been a hot topic. News 5 has mentioned over time that midges are a sign of a healthy lake, but why? We reached out to experts to understand why we’re seeing so many this year, along with their benefits.
“They tend to be associated with cleaner water, not all species, but most of them, and the conditions or environmental conditions for their survival will increase with the better-quality water,” said Dr. Curtis Young, a trained entomologist at Ohio State University.
While our pesky friends may be an inconvenience to some, Young said they’re a good source of food for bats, birds and even small fish, which helps our environment.
“The lake is just now getting to that 60-degree temperature; it’s bringing them all together at the same time for a mass emergence in the spring,” said Young.
Young said the midges will still be around for summer, just a little more spread out, so folks don’t have to worry about them too much.
