GROSSE POINTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — If you are out near Lake Saint Clair, the Saint Clair River or the Detroit River in the coming days you may see a massive swarm of mayflies. The bugs are covering buildings, trees and boats.
Daryl Ann Dawes and her husband Ron Dawes found themselves covered in the bugs while out walking in Grosse Pointe on Tuesday.
“The fish flies were swarming all around and they were all over our bodies,” said Daryl Ann.
While technically another insect is called a fishfly, here in Michigan and Canada mayflies are often called fishflies.
7 action News captured video of a blizzard of bugs flying in the Jefferson and Cadieux area in Grosse Pointe near Lake Saint Clair.
The Dawes say they enjoy seeing them because they love nature.
“They hatch in the water and it is indicative of clean water,” said Daryl Ann.
“I have lived long enough to see when there weren’t a lot of fish flies and it had a lot to do with the fact the water wasn’t as clean as it is now,” said Ron.
They don’t bite, but people familiar with them know, when they are swarming it might be a good idea to turn off outside lights at night. Otherwise you might have to clean up their remains. Their remains can even leave slick spots on the roads underneath streetlights.
They have a fascinating life cycle. According to Michigan State University Extension they lay their eggs on the surface of the water. When they hatch they live for months or years in the water. They then float to the surface and molt to a winged adult. Within hours they actually molt again into a sexually mature insect. Once they leave the water they cannot eat or drink. They mate, lay their eggs, and die in a matter of hours or sometimes days.
