Tue May 27 01:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided information:

**Headline: Midge Mania Returns: Lake Erie’s Tiny Residents Emerge, Coating Cars and Signaling a Healthy Ecosystem**

**Cleveland, OH** – Residents of Northeast Ohio are once again experiencing the annual arrival of midges, tiny, mosquito-like flies that emerge from Lake Erie as water temperatures rise. The swarm is thick enough to be picked up on radar. The emergence, while often viewed as a nuisance, is actually a sign of a healthy Lake Erie ecosystem.

Reports of windshields covered in dead midges have been flooding in since Sunday. One News 5 employee described their shock at the sheer number of the insects upon arriving at work.

“I heard a tapping on my windshield, and at first I thought it was rain, but it quickly became apparent that my windshield was covered in midges,” they reported.

The midge emergence is triggered when Lake Erie’s water temperature reaches approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit. While near Cleveland the lake water temperature is 56 degrees, near Toledo the water temperature is 65 degrees. The midges spend most of their lives as larvae, also known as bloodworms, before emerging for their brief adult stage. This stage primarily focuses on reproduction, which explains the massive swarms observed.

Despite their short lifespan of only a few hours to a couple of days, midges play a crucial role in the lake’s ecosystem. They serve as a food source for fish and other aquatic life.

While the swarms can be bothersome, experts emphasize that the midges are harmless to humans. Officials recommend drivers keep windshield washer fluid topped off during this time and remind residents that the presence of the insects is ultimately a positive indicator of Lake Erie’s environmental health.

For the latest weather updates, residents are encouraged to download the News 5 app and the StormShield app.

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