Shoo fly, don’t bother me

Batten down the hatches—the mayflies are coming! Millions of mayflies are hatching along the Mississippi River, and it’s quite a sight. Though the droves of insects attest to the mighty river’s health, the bugs are causing problems, including bug-slickened roads that led to a three-car pileup near Red Wing, Minn. 

The images below depicting swarms of mayflies in Minnesota and Wisconsin pair nicely with this Dutch still-life of rotting fruit, which, if you look closely, is covered with bugs! —Katie Wildfong, Family & Teen Programs, July 23

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Image via @TimHalbach, @ruhnke, and @mylittlebloggie

Source: Bob Collins, “Prepare to be disgusted. Mayfly hatch underway.” MPR News, July 21, 2014