SANDUSKY, Ohio — Midge season has returned to Northeast Ohio, and people along the lake, especially in Sandusky, are feeling the impact.
A visit to Cedar Point turned into an unforgettable and messy experience for one father and daughter when they rode Top Thrill 2 straight through a swarm of midges at 120 mph.
Tyler Fellinger was at the Sandusky amusement park with his daughter, Catherine, when she chose seats in the very front of the coaster.
"The cart came, and it was just covered in [midge] guts. You couldn't even see the color of the cart anymore at that point," Fellinger said.
The ride sent them directly into a swarm of the tiny insects.
"I can see the [midges] dripping off of my eyelashes," Fellinger said.
He looked over at Catherine mid-ride and found her covered but laughing.
"I looked her over, and she had it all over her, but she was cracking up at me because it was all over my face, looking like a fly swatter," Fellinger said.
Catherine took it all in stride.
"It hurt a lot, but it was fun," Catherine said.
Photos from the ride made it to social media, where they received thousands of likes and comments from people who could relate to having an encounter with a swarm of midges on their faces, cars or houses.
Midges are tiny flies that spend most of their lives underwater, emerging as adults when water temperatures reach 60 degrees.
Although they can be a nuisance, midges provide food for birds and fish and are a sign that Lake Erie is healthy.
The season lasts through September and peaks in the summer when the weather is hot and humid. Adult midges only live a few days to a few weeks.
Paul Cyber and Tyler Serene spend five days a week fishing in Sandusky and encounter midges regularly.
"It can be annoying," Cyber said.
But the two have found ways to stay on the water despite the swarms.
"Bug spray or fire torches; the torches that people use work really good out here," Serene said.
As for the Fellingers, they plan to time their next Cedar Point visit a little more carefully.
"Probably when it's not midge season, or I just won’t ride in the front again,“ Fellinger said.
