TORONTO – The pesky little flying critters often caught in cobwebs are back.
Clusters of midges are swarming through the damp pockets of Toronto, seeking each other out as part of the mating season ritual.
“What we’re seeing right now are huge numbers of them because the males and the females are trying to find each other,” Royal Ontario Museum entomology technician Antonia Guidotti said.
“It’s always better when they all emerge at the same time.”
Unlike mosquitoes, midges don’t bite and are more of a nuisance than anything else.
They’re part of a large family of flies called ‘chironomidae’ and there are about 700 species in Canada.
Midges are attracted to water and are considered a food source for fish. They’re also drawn to light which is why they’re often found dead around porches and patios.
“I’m not sure where they’re coming from but something’s happening down here in the beaches,” neighbourhood resident Peter Ranson said.
“The other night on my dash I was looking at all of these bugs and wondering did I leave my window down?”
They’re around from the spring until the fall as the weather starts to get colder. They feed in the dirt and are sometimes indicators of polluted waters.
Those spending time near Lake Ontario have seen clouds of black bugs flying by all at once.
“Pretty gross,” Joanne Johnston said. “I thought they maybe bite but I guess they don’t, so that’s good.”
For those who can’t take it anymore, the best advice experts can provide is to turn the lights out and clear any standing water from property while waiting for them to die off.
“Don’t worry about it,” Guidotti said. “In a couple of weeks when it’s really cold they’ll be gone.”
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