This MN Bridge Can’t Turn Its Lights On For One Reason!

We've officially reached the point of Minnesota's summer that makes certain parts of the state turn off the lights, literally. It's bug season, in the land of 10,000 lakes, meaning mosquitoes, flies, and mayflies. The mayflies are so bad in one part of the state its causing one Minnesota agency to simply shut the lights off until the problem goes away.

Mayfly Blooms Are Intense But Thankfully Short-Lived

Right now, in Winona, the Highway 43 bridge has gone dark at night. You might be asking yourself, "That can't be safe", which, thanks to forward-facing headlights, drivers are ok, but those who ride bikes or walk, it can be a little spooky.

The reason that the lights are off is because of the thousands and thousands of mayflies that are covering EVERYTHING. I had to double-take at this picture that was posted to X this morning, as that large pile along the concrete barrier isn't dirty snow, it's mayflies!

What Are Mayflies?

A Mayfly is an aquatic insect that lives a portion of its life in bodies of freshwater like the Mississippi River, and when they start to fly, these broods of mayflies take over and cover everything.

The good news about mayflies is that when you see them emerging, it means that the body of water they came out of is healthy. 

After the hatch, comes the clean up

When I lived in Southern Minnesota, the mayfly hatch meant that in a few days the roads would be littered with their frail bodies, piled up like black snowflakes. It also triggered the annual street sweeping to clean off the roads. Some people would use leaf blowers to blow the bugs off the road and into the grass, where birds would have an all-you-can-eat buffet.