Comments on: Library Bug Hunt, Part 1: Mayflies and other flying insects http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/ A Field Guide to the North Side of Old Mill Hill, Atlantic Mine, MI Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:35:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/comment-page-1/#comment-3358 Tim Eisele Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:43:48 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/?p=935#comment-3358 Josh: You should be able to find mayflies near any body of water that doesn't dry up in the summer. If there are no lakes nearby, look for rivers, creeks, small streams, or even permanent springs. It doesn't have to be much of a stream, we have mayflies coming out of a little stream in our yard that is only about six inches wide. If there is no open water at all of any kind within a few hundred yards, then you won't find any mayflies, because they don't really have time to fly very far from water. Josh: You should be able to find mayflies near any body of water that doesn’t dry up in the summer. If there are no lakes nearby, look for rivers, creeks, small streams, or even permanent springs. It doesn’t have to be much of a stream, we have mayflies coming out of a little stream in our yard that is only about six inches wide.

If there is no open water at all of any kind within a few hundred yards, then you won’t find any mayflies, because they don’t really have time to fly very far from water.

]]> By: josh http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/comment-page-1/#comment-3350 josh Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:45:00 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/?p=935#comment-3350 i need help i dont know were to find mayflies and i dont live by a lake. i need help i dont know were to find mayflies and i dont live by a lake.

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/comment-page-1/#comment-1482 Tim Eisele Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:04:38 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/?p=935#comment-1482 Bob: I don't have any direct experience with your problem, but I did find <a href="http://www.pestproducts.com/pests/aquatic_insects.htm" rel="nofollow">this site</a> that talks about outdoor lighting as being a big cause of the problem. Turning off outdoor lights during mayfly hatches is likely to help a lot. One of the things they suggest is "decoy lights", that you put up a ways away from the things you don't want the mayflies on, so that they will fly to the decoy site instead of to your house/boat/etc. On the plus side, the fact that you have so many mayflies does indicate that your water is not severely polluted. That's good to know, right? Bob: I don’t have any direct experience with your problem, but I did find this site that talks about outdoor lighting as being a big cause of the problem. Turning off outdoor lights during mayfly hatches is likely to help a lot. One of the things they suggest is “decoy lights”, that you put up a ways away from the things you don’t want the mayflies on, so that they will fly to the decoy site instead of to your house/boat/etc.

On the plus side, the fact that you have so many mayflies does indicate that your water is not severely polluted. That’s good to know, right?

]]> By: Bob Harris http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/comment-page-1/#comment-1480 Bob Harris Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:43:51 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/?p=935#comment-1480 Is there a product out that will help stop mayflies from attaching themselves to my boathouse? We have them by the thousands when they become adults and they attach themselves to my boat, boathouse and house. You can not stay in the yard when they are hatching out, mating or whatever. HELP!!! Is there a product out that will help stop mayflies from attaching themselves to my boathouse? We have them by the thousands when they become adults and they attach themselves to my boat, boathouse and house. You can not stay in the yard when they are hatching out, mating or whatever. HELP!!!

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/comment-page-1/#comment-1274 Tim Eisele Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:42:36 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/?p=935#comment-1274 Yep, they still have the digestive organs. One thing that I read said that mayflies not only don't eat as adults, they actually pump up their digestive tracts with air. I suppose that helps them stiffen up the abdomen for better flight stability without adding weight. I suppose, in a sense, they are almost little semi-rigid airships (or would be if they pumped themselves up with hydrogen). Yep, they still have the digestive organs. One thing that I read said that mayflies not only don’t eat as adults, they actually pump up their digestive tracts with air. I suppose that helps them stiffen up the abdomen for better flight stability without adding weight. I suppose, in a sense, they are almost little semi-rigid airships (or would be if they pumped themselves up with hydrogen).

]]> By: K T Cat http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/comment-page-1/#comment-1269 K T Cat Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:02:02 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/?p=935#comment-1269 The mayfly has a comical look. I imagine that they still have their digestive organs, just no pathway to a mouth. Right? The mayfly has a comical look. I imagine that they still have their digestive organs, just no pathway to a mouth. Right?

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/comment-page-1/#comment-1240 Tim Eisele Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:18:00 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/?p=935#comment-1240 Well, the ones commonly referred to as "Asian Lady Beetles" around here are <a href="http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/12/20/multicolored-asian-lady-beetles/" rel="nofollow"><u>Harmonia axyridis</u></a>, and this one looks quite different from that - specifically, the pronotum of <U>Harmonia axyridis</u> is white with either four black spots or a black "W". The one here that the kids found clearly has a black pronotum with small white spots on the sides, and a large black spot in the middle of the back, both of which I understand are more characteristic of <u>Coccinella septempunctata</u>. I suppose it is <i>possible</i> that I misidentified it, but I really don't think so. Well, the ones commonly referred to as “Asian Lady Beetles” around here are Harmonia axyridis, and this one looks quite different from that – specifically, the pronotum of Harmonia axyridis is white with either four black spots or a black “W”. The one here that the kids found clearly has a black pronotum with small white spots on the sides, and a large black spot in the middle of the back, both of which I understand are more characteristic of Coccinella septempunctata. I suppose it is possible that I misidentified it, but I really don’t think so.

]]> By: Laisseraller http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2009/06/27/library-bug-hunt-part-1-mayflies-and-other-flying-insects/comment-page-1/#comment-1234 Laisseraller Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:00:54 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/?p=935#comment-1234 Your photo is missed matched with the name of the Ladybeetle. The photo is not of an Asian Lady beetle? Your photo is missed matched with the name of the Ladybeetle. The photo is not of an Asian Lady beetle?

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