mayfly hatch at port clinton ,ohio

Picture worked fine.... That is just hard to imagine.  I am glad that isn't my vehicle, no way to get into it without a horrible mess unless maybe using a leaf blower on it first!  I don't want to even walk through that mess! 

A few years back some friends of mine were on a wall-eye charter & ran into clouds of them on the lake.It was so bad that after getting coated with the flys they made the captain come in because those with glasses couldn't see & the flys were getting in their mouths & noses. They tried to get around them but by then it was of no use. I don't think that this is the kind of hatch that Trout fishermen dream of.  sam

Inquiring minds want to know so I did a bit of research and this is what I finded out....

"Swarms of mayflies can grow so thick, in some parts of the country they often show up on the National Weather Service radar."

"Mayflies are attracted to lights and pile up at night in well-lit areas."

"The insects emerge in the summer after living most of their lives at the bottoms of lakes and rivers. When they finally reach adulthood, they take flight and only live around 24 hours. In those precious moments, they frantically mate and lay eggs in the water before they die."

"mayflies do not carry diseases. If you come across a pile, there's no need to report the stores to the health department for unsanitary conditions. The mayflies are merely attracted to bright lights and will be dead in a day or two"

"Scientists say the immense mayfly population is a good thing. The creatures require clean water to survive. Their numbers dwindle when water is polluted. The massive swarms are a sign the aquatic environment is healthy."

"The insects also give birds, fish, and spiders a big July 4 holiday feast."

From my personal memoirs I remember,
many many moons ago, the 13th St bridge and grounds of nearby businesses in Franklin turning white from a hatch out of French Creek. Pretty cool, unless ya turned your windshield wipers on. 😒