The mayfly, sometimes referred to as fishflies because of their odour, are very sensitive to oxygen levels in water and Drouillard said they are great indicators of lake health. If you're searching for refuge, the only states without mayflies are Alaska and Arizona. The Latin name for the insect that blankets Essex County’s waterfront communities is Hexagenia limbata it is a species of mayfly in the family Ephemeridae.ĭrouillard said they are found all across North America. “Basically, they’re just here to reproduce.” “They basically live in the sediment below the water for two summers and then shoot out of the water like little bullets and fly to the nearest landmass.”ĭrouillard said people often think mayflies have short lifespans because the adults emerge with no mouthparts and die after they are unable to ingest food. “The small-winged ephemeral mayflies that usually come out around June or July live for about two years around here,” explained Dr. Kenneth Drouillard, professor at the University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, has been studying the Hexagenia limbata for more than 20 years and helps to sweep away the misinformation about the annual invasion. Most years, they rise from the water and blanket unsuspecting communities.Ĭhildren scream as their friends run in pursuit with one of these winged-insects pinched tight between their fingers.īut what are they exactly and should we be encouraged when some years produce seemingly record levels and others don’t?Īre they fishflies, June bugs, or mayflies?
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