Beer-Loving Bugs Wrecking Havoc In Midwest

The Midwest is currently under attack by beer-loving mayflies. The problem is so bad that the National Weather Service (NWS) was able to identify the enormous swarms on its radar, leaving many residents questioning whether or not they are safe. The swarm of mayflies is believed to have caused at least one traffic accident in Wisconsin, but experts believe the problem could get worse in the upcoming weeks.

Upon hatching, mayflies burrow their way deep under the river sediment where they remain in a dormant-like state for a full year. The following summer, they resurface in search of a mate, at which point they lay their eggs (assuming they successfully found a mate) and then die within a period of just 2 days. Due to the short window of opportunity for mating, the entire mayfly population is out in full force during the summer months.

Residents living alone the Mississippi River are overwhelmed at the current infestation of mayflies. Several decades ago, these bugs were practically unheard of, but thanks to better water safety standards, their numbers are rebounding. Previously, the Mississippi River’s heavily polluted water prevented mayflies from thriving. This problem was fixed, however, with the Clean Water Act along with other state and federal changes to improve water quality.

If you live near the Mississippi River and enjoy an occasion beer, you should think twice before leaving an open cup outside. Female mayflies are notorious for laying their eggs inside beer. Scientists aren’t sure exactly why mayflies prefer beer as their nesting site, but this is a behavior that’s frequently spotted along the Mississippi River.

Workers at the National Weather Service did not initially know what kind of bugs were swarming throughout the region. The swarm would appear as a blob of blue dots on the radar before dispersing. It wasn’t until residents began calling in to report sightings of mayflies when they knew the true culprit.

“Almost every night in the summer, there’s some sense on the radar that there’s something coming off the river. We don’t know what kind of bug it is, until we have people calling or saying, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s mayflies all in the La Crosse area,” said Dan Baumgardt, science and operations officer for the National Weather Service in La Crosse. “

Have you seen these beer-loving bugs flying around your neighborhood? We’d love to hear your story in the comments section below!