mayflies of Ontario

Our first morning it was hard not to notice an abundance of insects - both dead and alive - absolutely everywhere. We soon learned that they were a local population of mayflies (also known as shadflies, fishflies and Canadian soldiers) that typically emerge on Lake Erie this time of year. Wind blows them ashore, they get attracted to light at night, and then get "shipwrecked" on pavements and storefronts. They are native and harmless and part of the Great Lakes ecosystem, serving as an important food source to various fish species.