During the summer months, I try to work outdoors using the laptop and cell phone.  As winter moves in functionality is replaced by the beauty of winter.

By the first of February, the novelty and appreciation of snow is long gone.  Everyone becomes anxious for sun, warm weather and leafs to reappear on trees.

Here are some photos showing the progression of winter over Lake Erie.

Rudy Socha is the CEO of Zoo and Aquarium Visitor and can be reached at rudy@zandavisitor.com

In June the the Western Shoreline of Lake Erie experiences 3-5 weeks of midges hatching and swarming.  They are mosquito like bugs about twice the size of the average mosquito but fortunately do not bite.  They cover everything during the day and then in the afternoon they swarm at about 30 feet above ground level.  You can hear the swarms as hundreds of thousands of these inseects make their high pitch hum to attract mates.

In July, the mayflies hatch during the night and cover all lake shore exterior surfaces by mornng.  Fortunately mayflies also are not biters, but they are quite messy and make a loud crunching sound when walked upon.  Most shopkeepers and homeowners hose down their windows and walkways every morning during the hatch.  During a big hatch, if the walkways are not hosed down they become slippery with body fluids from walked upon mayflies.  Mayflies rarely stay around longer than a week.

Biting flies and regular mosquitos also appear and peak in August and Septemtember but their population counts are not as high as that of the midges and mayflies.

Rarely do the midge and mayfly hatches affect those living further than a 1/4 mile from Lake Erie.  However if there is a strong wind out of the north on the night of a hatch, they will be blown up to a mile inland.

The following photos are of the July mayfies.