The Night of the Mayflies: Two Accounts

Text 1: A Letter from Oskar

1Dear Lumi, You will not believe what happened in Riverbend last night! After dinner, Dad and I walked down to the bridge to watch the sunset over the river. Suddenly, the air filled with tiny bugs with long tails and see-through wings. There were so many that they bumped softly against my cheeks.

2The streetlights on the bridge looked fuzzy because thousands of bugs were circling them. One bug landed on my sleeve and held very still. I could see its long, thin tails. Dad said they were mayflies. In the morning, the sidewalk by the bait shop was covered with them, and a man swept them into a big pile with a broom.

3I felt a little creeped out at first, but mostly I felt amazed. It was the strangest night of my whole summer. Write back soon! Your cousin, Oskar

Text 2: Mayflies Return to the River

1Each summer, mayflies rise from rivers and lakes in many parts of the country. This week, a large hatch arrived along the Riverbend shore. Some hatches are so large that they show up on weather radar like a cloud.

2Mayflies spend most of their lives underwater as young insects called nymphs. Many kinds live in the mud at the bottom of a river for about a year. Then, often on a warm evening, many nymphs swim to the surface at the same time. They shed their skins and fly away as winged adults.

3Adult mayflies live for only a short time, often just a day or two. They cannot eat. Their main job is to mate and lay eggs in the water.

4Scientists say a big hatch is often good news. Mayfly nymphs need clean water to live, so many mayflies can be a sign of a healthy river. Fish and birds also feast on them.

5Mayflies are drawn to bright lights, so some towns turn off lights near the water during a hatch. Mayflies do not bite or sting.