Cleveland spring-summer has arrived when the swarms of bugs attack. This video was taken last night. We are used to the bug situation, but this was an amazing sight.
We thought it was a plume of smoke from a house fire.
Not so much. Swarms of bugs!
*****excuse the commentary on the video*****
And now for a little science lesson.
"Each spring and fall, Cleveland's lakefront communities are invaded by small, harmless, mosquito-like insects called midges. They only stay about five-ten days, but the swarms can be startling to visitors and newcomers.
The small, 1/8 to 1/2" long insects are properly called chironomus plumorsus and commonly, but erroneously, called Canadian soldiers. They spawn in the lake when Lake Erie warms to around 60 degrees and then again in the fall when the lake cools. They have a life span of around five to ten days.
Midges are beneficial as they provide food for a variety of freshwater fish and other aquatic creatures. The little insects also helped the Cleveland Indians to win the 2007 ALCS series when a swarm unnerved Yankees pitcher, Joba Chamberlin." - Written by Sandy Mitchell, About.com
1 comment:
Do you think if I wear a flea collar I could keep the midges away? As a new pet owner I have fleas and ticks on the brain... I am constantly worrying that MJ is going to go crazy from lyme disease because I didn't get her a flea collar. Any time she scratches or has a new bump I think it's fleas and ticks.
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