Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 classic movie The Birds has nothing on the real, huge swarms of lake flies being reported today (May 22, 2014) on Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago. Apparently, the flies, which began swarming on Monday, are a yearly occurrence. However, Cynthia Mueller, a naturalist at High Cliff State Park, told USA Today that she hasn’t seen these kinds of numbers in years. Entomology Today said:
Fortunately, these flies in the genus Chironomus are harmless to people … even though some may consider them to be a nuisance.
No kidding! Luckily, the flies are feast for migrating songbirds, experts say.
Read more about swarming flies above Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago at Entomology Today.
The Wisconsin Post-Crescent has a good article on the flies, too.
Deborah Byrd
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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.