Added on June 28, 2016  The News Wheel   , , , ,
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Illinois Invaded by Massive Swarms of Mayflies

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Man, Illinois’ woes continue to mount. First, they have a governor and General Assembly that can’t agree on how to spend their money. Then, they suddenly stop receiving reminders that their tags are expiring, so end up giving the state twice the normal amount in late fees, and the state’s Department of Transportation is forced to shut down its road construction projects due to lack of funds.

And now, it seems that the drivers of Havana, Illinois are forced to relinquish their bridge to the might of The Swarm.

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The bridge is covered in a six-inch-deep layer of mayflies, some whole, some alive, some dead, some smashed into revolting leggy paste, but all mayflies and all very slippery when driven on (as we found out last year around this time).

The swarm of mayflies is the final stage of life for the insect, which can spend years as a water-dwelling larva before metamorphosing into a choking swarm of mouthless, rapidly dying, desperately mating flies.

And again, when run over, they are very slick. According to Havana Police, there have already been motorcycle accidents and even cars stuck in the center of the bridge.

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If you do find yourself in a swarm of mayflies, though, follow the sage advice of Entomology Today “Use windshield wipers sparingly. Smeared mayflies are just nasty.” It adds that occasionally, the swarm can be bad enough to affect your stopping distance in a car.

So, beware the swarm, especially if driving though Havana, Illinois.

News Source: Jalopnik