Midges are back. Here’s what they are, and why they matter
It’s almost that time of year again, when going for a walk on a sunny day might just mean walking into a swarm of black gnats.
These gnats, known as midges, are often found in Ontario's lakeshore, wildlife areas and parks. Most years, they began to appear in early springtime and last throughout the summer before dying in the fall.
Doug Currie, a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto, said they’re a small price to pay for a healthy ecosystem.
“Just think, if they were to disappear, that would be a warning that things aren’t quite that great,” Currie said about the bugs on and near Lake Ontario. “So I think that given what a short period that they’re out, is a small price to pay for a clean lake.”
That’s because midges can tell us a lot about our ecosystems. Midges, when highly populated above bodies of water, are an indication of healthy water with regular oxygen levels. When absent, they point to pollution in the water.
In addition, adult midges get eaten by larger insects such as spiders and swallows.
Monthly, in the spring and summertime, new species of these bugs will appear. There are over 4,000 species, all of which emerge in swarms as a way of mating.
“When you get these large swarms, it’s actually a mating ritual,” Currie said. “And so they need to connect with each other to mate.”
The large swarms are usually male midges that group together to attract females. After mating, Currie says that the cycle begins again.
“[They’ll] go off and mate, and then the cycle begins again. [They lay] their eggs on the lake or the street, and then the cycle begins again.”
Most of the species seen in Ontario do not bite, however the ones that do are females as they need protein to mature their eggs.
Currie says that they do not bite, and that there isn’t a surefire repellent against them.
“They’re certainly innocuous creatures,” he said
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of US dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Man involved in Dartmouth, N.S., emergency alert earlier this week turns himself in
A 49-year-old man has been charged in connection with an alleged assault that happened earlier this week in Dartmouth, N.S.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Imagine living in a 4-foot body that doesn't develop chronic diseases
Nathaly Paola Castro Torres has a rare disorder called Laron syndrome that is caused by a genetic mutation. It stunts her growth but also provides a hidden silver lining: Her body is protected from chronic diseases such as cancer that often take life away long before old age.
'Oh, there you go': Tyler Black, son of veteran broadcaster Rod Black, has memorable Major League Baseball debut
Canadian baseball player Tyler Black made a major splash in his first-ever big league game for the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.
Groundbreaking American guitarist Duane Eddy dies age 86
Guitarist Duane Eddy, best known for twangy riffs on hits such as 'Rebel Rouser' and 'Cannonball,' has died at the age of 86.