Lake fly at Calumet County Park. PC: Fox 11 Online
CALUMET COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Every year, it signifies a change in seasons along Lake Winnebago.
Lake flies are out after hatching this month.
Calumet County Park leaders say they first noticed the flies the week before Mother’s Day.
“Just a few here and there, nothing like we’re seeing right now. Right now the hatch seems to be pretty thin so far, but with the warm weather that might increase,” said Lindsay Meyer, Calumet Co. Parks & Program Manager.
In past years, lake flies have swarmed around the park.
Park officials believe cooler temperatures and wind along the lake have played a factor in what seems to be a smaller population currently.
It’s safe to say the number of flies, or lack thereof, came as a bit of a surprise.
“We thought we’d have a really big hatch this year just with the warmer weather that we had earlier in April, we thought they would be a little bit early. But then with the cooler temperatures, seemed to be delayed to their normal time,” said Meyer.
With warmer weather expected this weekend, Meyer says we could see more flies hatch.
A little further north at High Cliff State Park, it’s a similar story.
Campers say they haven’t been seeing many lake flies to start the season, but they expect to see more as the temperature warms up.
“Once the water temperature warms up a little bit more like 5-10 degrees, they’ll be out in full force, all over the trees and your house,” said Marty Paulson from Fond du Lac, who was camping with his wife, Jane, at High Cliff State Park Tuesday.
The flies may be a bit of a pest for those wanting to enjoy the lakeshore, but aren’t a harm.
“Lake flies actually don’t have a functioning mouth, so they aren’t eating anything and they’re definitely not biting, so just a nuisance a little bit,” said Meyer.
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