Has anyone noticed a mayfly explosion?

Posted by theavocadolady@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 11 comments

I'm quite sure that in the 41 years I've been alive I've never before seen a mayfly, until this year when there seem to be huge swarms of them everywhere. Has anyone else noticed this? Or have I just been blind until now? I'm located in Hertfordshire.

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11 Comments

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Spiritual_Loss_7287@reddit

I live by the Thames - when I first moved in about 10 years ago there lots of them. Then it went quiet for a number of years - this year, however - thousands. A sign of clean water apparently - until I did a quick Google I never knew they hatched in water. The local birds, bats and hedgehog seem to enjoy them.

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theavocadolady@reddit (OP)

Interesting, I didn't know they hatched in water, nor that it's a sign of clean water. Every day's a school day! Thanks!

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KeyLog256@reddit

Yep, made a thread about this the other day - insects in general. Seems people have seen huge increases in insects all over the country. Combination of the weather over winter/early spring, banning of certain pesticides, and rewilding efforts it would seem.

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theavocadolady@reddit (OP)

Ooh, sorry, I did search the sub before posting but didn't see anything! It's crazy the sheer volume of them given I've never seen them before.

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KeyLog256@reddit

No no, no need to apologise - Reddit's search function is fundamentally broken anyway!

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Sea-Still5427@reddit

Yep. They everywhere here in Suffolk, and we normally have plenty of insects anyway as soon as the daytime temperature hits 15 due to our slow-moving rivers. Important to keep your mouth closed and sunglasses on whole cycling. Perfect for birds and bats feeding their young though.

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CriticalMine7886@reddit

I have greenfly swarming in my back garden - they have been all over everything for the last couple of days

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Nervous-Power-9800@reddit

Been killing all sorts in the house, horseflies, juicy shit botherers, them tiny little fruit flies, moths, daddy long legs. It's becoming a full time job.

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A97S_@reddit

Well it is May.

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