1 of 1- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
Offline 
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 13,427
BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
Dense mayfly swarm causes crashes, closes US bridge
A dense swarm of mayflies caused motorcycle crashes and the overnight closure of a bridge in the US state of Pennsylvania.
The sheer volume of insects reduced visibility, and turned the road surface of the bridge over the Susquehanna River, in Lancaster County, into a treacherous, slippery mess.
Piles of mayflies up to 2ft (0.6m) deep were seen the morning after.
Immature mayflies live in water, before hatching as adults to mate in swarms.
The bridge was closed late on Saturday, reopening early on Sunday, police said.
null
The poor road conditions caused motorcycle crashes, but there are no reports of serious injuries
"It was like a blizzard in June, but instead of snow, it was mayflies," Wrightsville Fire Chief Chad Livelsberger told LancasterOnline.
"They were getting in our mouth. We had to close our eyes. We had to swat them away. Even when we got back, it felt like bugs were crawling in you."
Spectacular swarms of mayflies are not uncommon - last year one in Wisconsin became so big it appeared on local radar as rain.
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
- Just Fred
- Duke of Cortona
Offline
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 3,863
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
Wow! I've never seen anything like that!
- tennyson
- Exchanger
Offline
- Registered: 2/06/2015
- Posts: 6,654
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
It was bad last year, but this year is most certainly a lot worse.
I wonder IF they are sorry that they replaced the old lights on the bridge. The new ones look nice, BUT ... ! 
"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
- flowergirl
- Exchanger
Offline
- Registered: 2/03/2015
- Posts: 1,840
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
That's what some are blaming the seriousness of it this year. The new lamps are closer to the ground unlike the old lamps which were much higher.
- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
Offline
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 13,427
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
I used to flyfish Penns Creek in north-central PA. Every June there was a hatch of a very large mayfly called the green drake. By dark the air would be full of them, and the water covered. It was a big deal. Fishermen would come from other states just to fish it.
But, I never saw anything like that picture of the Wrightsville bridge.
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
- •
Thread Starter- flowergirl
- Exchanger
Offline
- Registered: 2/03/2015
- Posts: 1,840
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
The bridge lights will go dark every night for the next week or longer if needed til the mayflies stop coming by the zillions (my word!) to the bridge.
- Tarnation
- Administrator
Offline
- From: Upstream where water's clean
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 1,241
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
Why did it take PennDOT four days to reach that brilliant decision?
Life is an Orthros.
- flowergirl
- Exchanger
Offline
- Registered: 2/03/2015
- Posts: 1,840
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
PennDot is responsible only for the bridge deck. Wrightsville or whatever jurisdiction did the lights is the party that made the decision to turn out the lights.
- Tarnation
- Administrator
Offline
- From: Upstream where water's clean
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 1,241
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
The full width of the Susquehanna is considered to be Lancaster County (Dauphin County from about Goldsboro north); the bridge is technically in West Hempfield Township.
Life is an Orthros.
- flowergirl
- Exchanger
Offline
- Registered: 2/03/2015
- Posts: 1,840
Re: BBC Note Wrightsville Bridge Swarm
The mayflies are causing difficulties at the John Wright restaurant too. The outdoor nighttime kitchen had to be closed for the interim and it's costing the owners big bucks in overtime payments to staff who have to clean up the buggy messes.