fishflies
Short-lived lake bugs
Fishflies are large, soft-bodied insects related to dobsonflies, with long wings and feathery antennae.
They emerge in swarms near freshwater in late spring and summer, living only a few days as adults.
Despite the name, they have no particular connection to fish—the larvae are aquatic, which may explain the association.
In the Great Lakes region, massive fishfly emergences coat buildings and streetlights, creating a distinctive seasonal nuisance.
Non-saline aquatic environment
- streamSteady continuous flow
- pondSmall still body
- lakeEnclosed body of freshwater
- riverLarge flowing watercourse
wetland · waterway · shoreline · riparian · Great Lakes · Midwest · bank · bridge
Nature spirit or larva
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- moltingPeriodic shedding of covering
- larvaeImmature metamorphosing creatures
- emergenceComing into existence
instar · development · burrowing · juvenile · maturation · egg laying
Sixth calendar month
- lakesideArea bordering still water
- mating seasonReproductive cycle timing
- annual eventRecurring yearly occasion
- cottage countryRecreational rural region
waterfront · dusk · dawn · sticky · cleanup · sweeping · dead bodies
Sensory appendages on insects
- compound eyesMulti-lensed visual organs
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- wingsLimbs for flight
- thoraxCentral body cavity
abdomen · arthropod · invertebrate · chitin · mandibles · entomology · nocturnal · fragile
Atmospheric water vapor mass
- hordeDisorganized, overwhelming crowd
- infestationPest takeover situation
- billionsThousands of millions
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
flight · bloom · outbreak · explosion · dense · overwhelming · carpet · coating
freshwater
Non-saline aquatic environment
river · wetland · waterway · shoreline · riparian · Great Lakes · Midwest · bank · bridge · dock
nymph
Nature spirit or larva
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- moltingPeriodic shedding of covering
- larvaeImmature metamorphosing creatures
emergence · instar · development · burrowing · juvenile · maturation · egg laying
June
Sixth calendar month
- lakesideArea bordering still water
- mating seasonReproductive cycle timing
- annual eventRecurring yearly occasion
cottage country · waterfront · dusk · dawn · sticky · cleanup · sweeping · dead bodies
antennae
Sensory appendages on insects
- compound eyesMulti-lensed visual organs
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- wingsLimbs for flight
thorax · abdomen · arthropod · invertebrate · chitin · mandibles · entomology · nocturnal · fragile · soft-bodied
cloud
Atmospheric water vapor mass
- hordeDisorganized, overwhelming crowd
- infestationPest takeover situation
- billionsThousands of millions
congregation · flight · bloom · outbreak · explosion · dense · overwhelming · carpet · coating · piles
ephemeral
Lasting very briefly
- Megalopteralarvae, larval stage, mandibles, gills, metamorphosis
- Dobsonfliesdobsonfly