POINT PLACE, Ohio (WTVG) – Mayflies are in full force around Lake Erie, with thousands attaching themselves to buildings such as the Mayfly Tavern.
People in Point Place said the annual swarms — which typically happen from early June through July — are hard to avoid with Lake Erie in their backyard.
The insects are not harmful, but residents said they can be a nuisance.
Mayflies create problems on roads
Joshua Torres said mayflies are attracted to light, including lights on roadways and at gas stations.
“When you’re braking, depending on how big the swarm is, when you try to brake, you kind of slide on them like it’s ice or snow,” Torres said.
Torres said he and others have dealt with the situation many times.
“A lot of almost rear-endings, a lot of going around corners at 15 miles an hour and then just sliding on bug guts.”
Residents wait out the season
Jess Kolinski said she is not fond of mayflies for another reason.
“When I was a teenager, I lived at my parents’ house and I had a sunroof in my car. I left it open underneath the light, and I went to work the next morning and my car was, inside, covered in mayflies,” Kolinski said.
Kolinski said she called off work because she could not drive with the mayflies inside her car. She waited for her dad to get home from work and vacuum them out.
Despite the nuisance, Kolinski and Torres said they see the benefits of mayflies.
“You know the lake is healthy when we have mayflies. If we don’t have mayflies, you know the lake is not good. So it’s just the environment just doing its thing,” Kolinski said.
Torres said mayflies are susceptible to toxins and pollution in the water.
“So a good bloom of them is showing the strength and health of the water,” Torres said. “And obviously having a lot of them around is good for the ecosystem.”
Kolinski said she hopes mayfly season ends soon. She said they have been out for quite a few weeks and she is ready for them to be gone.
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