Have You Seen A Mayfly Swarm As Terrifying As This In Illinois?

There is a bug situation happening in Iowa right now that is literally the stuff my nightmares are made of. When I first looked at these pics I had no idea what I was looking it, and now that I know, I'm moving to the desert.

These pics shared by former Rockford meteorologist Eric Sorenson may be from Iowa, but these nasty buggers are all over in Illinois too. So, now I have to know; if you live near water, have you ever seen anything as disgusting as this?

I'll admit that I was unsure what a Mayfly/Shadfly actually is, so then I Googled it. Honestly, I have run from these nasty things all my life because I thought they were  gigantic mosquitoes. I now feel slightly better knowing that this bug won't suck all my blood with one slurp, but I still feel quite nauseated.

This is a Mayfly...

Besides discovering that Mayflies aren't monstrous mosquitoes, I learned that these bugs only live a few days (males only live 1 day) and they don't eat, bite or sting. They just look super ugly and swarm in LARGE numbers after emerging from the water.

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I came across an article from a Home, Yard and Garden Pest Newsletter by the University of Illinois Extension that says;

 

There are many species of mayflies in Illinois, with adult lengths (including tails) ranging from 1/4 to 2 inches.

One of the most obvious characteristics of the adults is their large numbers. They can emerge in huge numbers from a body of water. They tend to sit on upright objects and can completely cover the surfaces of posts, sheds, and light poles. They are also attracted to lights at night.

Apparently Mayflies play a vital role in the health of our aquatic ecosystems, but I don't care. Call my evil, but I'm glad they only live a day. I hate bugs.

Have you caught a pic of a massive swarm of mayflies in the Rockford area? Send it to us...just so you can terrify us further.