Holy Hatches!!!!

[DRIFTER_016]

Gotta be tough to fool a fish during one of these hatches.   

 

http://www.flyfisherman.com/2014/07/23/massive-mayfly-hatch-biblical-proportions-triggers-three-car-crash/

 

 

 

 

Massive Mayfly Hatch of “Biblical Proportions” Triggers a Three-Car Crash

by Ross Purnell, Editor   |  July 23rd, 20140

A massive mayfly hatch on the Mississippi River in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area July 20, 2014, was described as a insect infestation of “biblical proportions” so intense that it made driving in the region difficult and even dangerous. Poor visibility and slippery roads (due to mayflies) were blamed for a three-vehicle accident on the Hwy. 63 bridge linking Red Wing and Hager City, Wisconsin, that left one person hospitalized.
The hatch captured on the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Doppler radar looks like a rain storm, but is actually a cloud of Hexagenia bilineata mayflies stretching from Redwing Minnesota in the north to to Prairie du Chien Wisconsin.

National Weather Service radar image July 20, 2014

According to the NWS: “The radar detected the flies about 8:45 pm, emanating from the river (the source) with echo values similar to that of light-moderate rain (35-40 dBZ). With a general south-to-north wind flow above the surface, the mayflies quickly moved north once in the air. As the flies dispersed moving north-northeast, they also gained altitude with some of the echo being detected as far north as Black River Falls and as high as 2,500 feet above ground.
“By late evening, mayflies were swarming in La Crosse, La Crescent, Stoddard and points up and down the river. While the emergence of mayflies from their river bottom mud dwelling can occur at various times through the warm season depending on the species, this particular emergence was that of the larger black/brown bilineata species. The radar loop shows the reflected radar energy (reflectivity) from 835 pm to just after midnight. The higher the values (greens to yellows) indicate greater concentrations of flies.”
Last year along the Mississippi, similar but less intense hatches of the same species occurred on June 15, 18 and 25, and on July 14.
June 23, 2012 was the last hatch of this size. That event was also termed “massive” by the NWS, and it too caused collisions and required snowplows for cleanup duty.
According to the NWS, the heavy hatches in recent years are the result of environmental protections that are resulting in cleaner water and better habitat for the burrowing mayflies.

Minnesota City, July 20, 2014. Courtesy of the National Weather Service

La Crosse, July 20, 2014. Courtesy of the National Weather Service

Trempealeau, July 20, 2014. Courtesy of the National Weather Service

La Crosse, July 20, 2014. Courtesy of the National Weather Service

Read more: http://www.flyfisherman.com/2014/07/23/massive-mayfly-hatch-biblical-proportions-triggers-three-car-crash/#ixzz38LqNKqmm

 

 

 

[kickingfrog]

North Bay always has a bad couple of weeks, but nothing like ^that^.

[dave524]

I remember as a kid, this would be late 50's, being in Port Dover with the family and cars could not make it up the hill out of town to the east cause the road was slick with mayflies. Fire Dept finally came and washed the road with the tanker truck to get traffic restored.

[highdrifter]

That's insane.. I'd be out there with my shovel.. collecting fertilizer!!

[Fang]

I drove through one that looked similar in North Bay a number of years ago. Driving along a stretch of Lakeshore Road right by the Burger King, the swarm go so thick that visibility almost went to zero and traffic stopped for a few minutes. You couldn't see past your front bumper. We pulled into the Burger King parking lot and the flies were 2-3 inches deep on the ground - no one wanted to get out of the car and step on them. The front of the restaurant was completely covered like in these pictures.

[AKRISONER]

ive seen a similar scenario with locusts in wildwood alberta...disgusting

[BillM]

Wasaga Beach routinely gets plastered with them as well, although not like this.

[JerMac]

Wow..

[SylvanOwner]

I've seen it in North Bay as well, to the point where they were shoveling and sweeping the walks in front of McD's.

 

I actually found most interesting was the theory that because of increased environmental protection the water quality has improved, presumably, if you follow this line of thinking this would be a more routine (and maybe more widespread) phenomenon. Cool.

[kuhaman]

Wow..

x2