What were these flying insects we encountered in North Dakota?
March 31, 2023 12:58 PM Subscribe
Some years ago, Mr. DrGail and I went to North Dakota around Labor Day. In the northeastern part of the state, near Devil's Lake, we had a very unfortunate encounter at dusk with some large flying insects. We asked people what they were called, and heard various answers including "sandflies" and were assured that they were only a problem for a few days each year. Even after all this time, I'd still like to know what they are. Can you help?
They were larger than mosquitoes and as the sun set more and more of them came out. They were especially bad when we were driving across a causeway at water level. Mr. DrGail described it as "biblical". Even with our windshield wipers on high, there were so many crashing into the car that we could barely see while driving back to our hotel. The ones smooshed on the car smelled bad, but were apparently irresistible to bees such that every time we stopped the car over the next several days the vehicle was quickly covered in bees. Getting the car clean and removing the smell was virtually impossible and we eventually gave up and traded in the car. What were those insects?
They were larger than mosquitoes and as the sun set more and more of them came out. They were especially bad when we were driving across a causeway at water level. Mr. DrGail described it as "biblical". Even with our windshield wipers on high, there were so many crashing into the car that we could barely see while driving back to our hotel. The ones smooshed on the car smelled bad, but were apparently irresistible to bees such that every time we stopped the car over the next several days the vehicle was quickly covered in bees. Getting the car clean and removing the smell was virtually impossible and we eventually gave up and traded in the car. What were those insects?
We used to call them fish flies. They stick to everything! They are stinky! They die and cover the beach so that it's unpleasant to walk barefoot.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 1:21 PM on March 31, 2023
posted by Lawn Beaver at 1:21 PM on March 31, 2023
Definitely mayflies. They have an unpleasant fishy odor when smushed and can form some epic swarms.
As a child of the upper midwest, it’s my duty to remind everyone that lots of things eat mayflies and their presence in large numbers is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. So it’s a good thing they made it impossible to enjoy an evening at the lake / ruined the BBQ / made us call off the softball game / covered my car in crud, right??
posted by theory at 1:29 PM on March 31, 2023 [11 favorites]
As a child of the upper midwest, it’s my duty to remind everyone that lots of things eat mayflies and their presence in large numbers is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. So it’s a good thing they made it impossible to enjoy an evening at the lake / ruined the BBQ / made us call off the softball game / covered my car in crud, right??
posted by theory at 1:29 PM on March 31, 2023 [11 favorites]
North Bay (Ontario) is famous for its shad flies, which hatch by the tens of millions every year. It can get very stinky.
posted by scruss at 1:41 PM on March 31, 2023
posted by scruss at 1:41 PM on March 31, 2023
Response by poster: Don't mayflies come out in, well... May? Or thereabouts? Our dreaded encounter with these flying portents of doom occurred a few days before Labor Day. I seem to recall some people saying they were a problem "a few times a year" but nothing in my cursory googling turned up anything about that.
posted by DrGail at 6:32 PM on March 31, 2023
posted by DrGail at 6:32 PM on March 31, 2023
Lights on a bridge over the Mississippi river near my home attracted such swarms of these that when they settled on the pavement semi-trucks were unable to make the climb up the bridge. They called out the salt/snow grader trucks to push them off to the side.
posted by tronec at 8:19 PM on March 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by tronec at 8:19 PM on March 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
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You encountered mayflies, a common thing up here near watery areas. If the air is calm and you sit outside and the swarm is just gently flying all around you it's an amazing experience, but as you experienced they kind of suck in large numbers.
posted by AzraelBrown at 1:03 PM on March 31, 2023 [5 favorites]