[Davy]

You sure they did not plug your radiator?

[Corey]

We got into those buggers years ago out west while driving and it was nightmare getting them cleaned off.

[Archived]

During our boating days our travel in summer was on the St. Croix River east of St.Paul. Traveling south bound appox 26 miles to the mighty Mississippi. Take a left (down bound) New Orleans, take a right Mpls. One of our favorite long weekend trips was to LaCrosse, WS.

On a summer Sunday morning going topside and just taking a look towards the bow the entire boat is covered with May Fly’s. Actually used a broom to sweep thousands off the boat . In this part of the country these little fly’s hatch from the river bottom live a couple of days and die.

Some hatch events actually require a snow plow to clear bridge decks when large hatches invade the the town.

And before I sign off some PC member from that part of the country can verify this strange yearly event.

And ……Truk we did not start happy hour early.

Numbers in the millions when hatch occures

[Archived]

I can vouch for Al…he is NOT into the squeezings this time. It used to get so bad at our shop in Red Wing, MN, very close to the Mississippi, (you could see the river from our property) that we had to shovel them away from the overhead doors in the morning when the shop opened. We would use our front end loader to pick them up and deposit them far, far away from the buildings as they stink when they decay. Seems they were attracted to the yard lights. We would have shut them off, but nobody knows when they will hatch. They do make a mess…

MNDOT used to have to not only plow the bridge between Red Wing and Wisconsin (Hwy 63), but also sand it sometimes it got so greasy. This happened at many river bridge crossings in Minnesota and WI.

You do not want to get caught on the river in a boat when the hatch. Very gross to be covered in them. Been there, done that.

[Mark]

I lived in La Crosse (WI) for 23 years. The news would report getting the snow plows out to clear the bridges over the Mississippi and Black Rivers. Sand was used regularly. The odor from the decaying May Flies was horrendous. Even as far away from the river as ten to fifteen blocks they would pile up under a light. I worked at a bank and our ATM was along side the building, well lit and you’d walk past it the next morning before the building guys had removed them and they were pilled up a foot to 18 inches.

[Mark]

I live in southeastern Pennsylvania and last week the 462 bridge over the Susquehanna River had to be closed during the night because May Fly swarms caused several accidents. The bridge authority decided to try turing off the bridge lights at dusk which helped lessen the swarms.