HARRISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – They’re back and they’re right on time.
The lake flies have emerged on parts of Lake Winnebago, just days before Mother’s Day.
The tiny bugs were first reported on the eastern shoreline on Thursday, and in the coming days, many more will likely hatch around the lake.
It’s all part of the seasonal changes on Lake Winnebago.
“Oh yeah, they’re in the grass here,” said Joan Dollevoet of Harrison.
In more than a half-century of living on her property, Joan Dollevoet says she can count on a visitor nearly every spring.
“Yes, they come out every year on Mother’s Day. I think there’s only been two or three since 1964 that we didn’t see them,” she said.
The lake flies are back. Dollevoet saw the first one at her Harrison home on Thursday.
“They’ll be popping out of the lake. We noticed there were some on the garage door this morning,” she said.
Dollevoet says the bugs can leave a mess.
“If you sit on them or bump them, they’ll leave you a green spot. But when they’re thick you don’t open your mouth, and walk through the grass. You run to the car and hope that you don’t have any on the back of you when you sit in the car,” she said.
Just down the road at Calumet County Park, Kurt Bratz isn’t catching many fish, but he does notice something different.
“Lake Flies too. We got them. First day I’ve seen them. I haven’t been down since Sunday. They weren’t here on Sunday. They’re here today,” said Kurt Bratz, Collins.
Bratz says the bugs can bother.
“They’re horrible. They’re in your nose, mouth, eyes, ears. So then you don’t even want to be down here,” he said.
Biologists say the lake flies don’t bite and only live for a few days. The eggs the insects lay on the water grow into red worms, which is a prime food source for many fish on the lake, including sturgeon.
“That’s our sturgeon food. That’s what sturgeon feed on. So it’s okay? Yes it’s great,” said Bratz.
Joan Dollevoet agrees, sort of.
“We’re blessed with them. But there’s nothing we can do, because we want our sturgeon out here for our fishermen,” she said.
“But you ignore them. They’re just fine,” said Dollevoet.
Experts say the lake fly emergence typically lasts a couple weeks.
There is often a second, smaller hatch, which occurs later in the summer.
