Snow Midges

A truly wonderful winter day. While most everyone else was out cross-country skiing, I went for winter walk. After a week of below average temperatures, a day with little wind and temperatures in the low twenties felt almost summery in the afternoon sun. Apparently the Snow Midges thought so as well! I've known that there are insects that emerge in winter—wingless gall wasps, winter stoneflies, winter crane flies and midges—but I'd never encountered them before today.

I saw a total of four midges. One of them flew a few inches when disturbed. Otherwise they just crawled along on top of the snow. The small creek, from where they emerged, flowed and chimed through a short stretch of riffles directly below. It really is mind bending to see insects out in January. Of course winter trout fishermen know all about these winter hatches, with a number of midge flies that imitate both pupae and adults.

Posted on January 15, 2017 05:04 AM by scottking