CLEVELAND — Longer days and warmer weather are ideal for outdoor plans and also midges. News 5's overnight news tracker spotted midges swarming near the Lake Erie shoreline Monday morning.
The midges are here... #ThisisCLE pic.twitter.com/WFG9bEEkaB
— Mike Vielhaber (@MVielhaber) May 25, 2020
When the water temps start warming closer to 60 degrees, which it's doing in the western basin of Lake Erie, the midges start swarming. The larvae, or bloodworms, have been there for weeks. It's the warmth, though, that brings them to the surface. Next step in the midge life cycle is reproduction.
When the water temp jumps another 10 degrees, we'll start seeing the much larger Mayflies.
While gross, midges do have a purpose. They are a sign of good health for Lake Erie. Midges are hatched from the lake when the water warms up in the spring. They provide food for fish and other aquatic life, according to the Lake County General Health District.
