If you've been to Lake Erie within the past two or three weeks, you've likely seen thousands of these rather large flies, bigger than a typical mosquito. Taxonomically speaking, they're in the family Chironimidae, and known by the denizens of Ohio's north coast as midges or even "muffleheads". Millions and millions of these creatures have hatched from Lake Erie this June- they'll mate and die quickly. This one is a male, identifiable by its brush-like antennae.
This one, without the brush like antennae, I presume is a female.
These insects don't bite or spread disease, but why they're increasing is debated. Some researchers believe that the midges are a sign of polluted low oxygen zones, while other researchers believe that they indicate a cleaner lake. They also helped the Cleveland Indians in a fall playoff series against the New York Yankees in 2007. They swarmed pitcher Joba Chamberlain as he was on the mound, rattling him to the point where he could not recover.
Tom
This is my contribution to this week's Camera Critters meme, hosted by Misty Dawn.
