Mayfly frenzy

June 3, 2010 11:51 AM

The life of an adult mayfly may be short, but it starts with a bang: a recent mayfly hatching in Wisconsin showed up on doppler radar.

(This isn't the first time La Crosse has seen this phenomenon, either).

posted by EvaDestruction (21 comments total)

Yeah, this is no joke. The mayflies hatched a few weeks ago when we were visiting southwestern Wisconsin, and it was like solid bug everywhere you looked. It almost made me look forward to mosquitoes--at least I don't have to breathe those.
posted by padraigin at 11:56 AM on June 3, 2010

BRB, training frogs and toads to analyze doppler radar scans.
posted by elizardbits at 12:03 PM on June 3, 2010

break out the fly rods!
posted by HuronBob at 12:19 PM on June 3, 2010

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posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:22 PM on June 3, 2010 [3 favorites]

Wow. Glad I'm not there.
posted by flippant at 12:23 PM on June 3, 2010

Dear AskMe: So that bug breeding idea I mentioned in my last question worked way better than I expected, now what? How do I now use this to extort money from the government? Should I demand billions up front, or use smaller amounts spread out over a longer period of time?

Also, what are your thoughts vis-à-vis evil lair? Dormant volcano? Skull shaped island? I'm open to suggestions.
posted by quin at 12:25 PM on June 3, 2010 [2 favorites]

> The life of an adult mayfly may be short, but it starts with a bang

Yes, yes, as do we all.
posted by ardgedee at 12:30 PM on June 3, 2010

I saw that online last night, and was tickled and squicked. Tickled that our technology can detect things like this, but wow, do I ever hate flying pest insects.

Happily (?) the population of such things has been minimal here in eastern WA for the past few years. This might signal something awful happening, or maybe we're just lucky. I hope it's the latter.
posted by hippybear at 12:31 PM on June 3, 2010

a recent mayfly hatching in Wisconsin showed up on doppler radar.

I read that as hatchling and panicked.
posted by HumanComplex at 12:35 PM on June 3, 2010 [5 favorites]

Wow, I was totally going to make this my first post when I saw it the other day, but I was worried about single linkitude. I think shit like this is awesome
posted by Think_Long at 12:41 PM on June 3, 2010

So glad I live on the other side of the state.
posted by desjardins at 12:52 PM on June 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

That's good. Next time they'll know where to aim the ICBMM.

Mayfly time on the Lake Michigan coast of Wisconsin is more like a biblical plague reenactment than a nature outing.
posted by Babblesort at 12:53 PM on June 3, 2010

Yep, it's that time of year again, when local weather reports start to sound like passages from Revelations.
posted by The Whelk at 1:08 PM on June 3, 2010

on preview: damn you.
posted by The Whelk at 1:09 PM on June 3, 2010

Dear AskMe: So that bug breeding idea I mentioned in my last question worked way better than I expected, now what? How do I now use this to extort money from the government? Should I demand billions up front, or use smaller amounts spread out over a longer period of time?

Also, what are your thoughts vis-à-vis evil lair? Dormant volcano? Skull shaped island? I'm open to suggestions.
posted by quin

Shouldn't you, like, have chosen a people by now?
posted by jamjam at 1:23 PM on June 3, 2010

I live not far away from a large reservoir in Central Mississippi, so I have the luxury (?) of driving over the water. Guess what? Right now, our may flies are hatching. So, imagine a few dozen light poles, each covered in thousands of these bags. Nasty, right?

No, wait. Imagine your windshield covered in them during your morning commute. Nasty, right?

No, wait. I ride my bike over that road. You figure out the nasty factor when I time things wrong.
posted by fijiwriter at 1:24 PM on June 3, 2010

Ignoramus that I am, I see no mayflies hatching. I see ladyparts circled in yellow.
posted by Lisitasan at 5:48 PM on June 3, 2010

We rented a cottage on Manitoulin Island about this time a couple of years ago. It was kind of creepy sitting at night with the windows completely matted with the bellies of mayflies (or chadflies?). All we had to read was the bible.
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:46 PM on June 3, 2010

Augh mayflies. Completely useless and yet SO AWFUL.
posted by that girl at 12:39 AM on June 4, 2010

I don't get all the mayfly hate. Okay any bug in this density has a higher yech factor, but geez: they are harmless, short-lived, non-biting, and kinda cute, as Midwestern bugs go. You all would rather have a plague of house centipedes?
posted by whatzit at 11:45 AM on June 8, 2010

Yeah, it's all about the density for me. Also perhaps the relatively large size and weird whip-like tail appendages.

And I've never had a plague of house centipedes, or even seen one in real life, so I've never thought about them much. They do not look particularly appealing, no.
posted by that girl at 4:00 PM on June 8, 2010