Not much impact, local: very common, with a large number of mayflies appearing in Hunan province
On the evening of September 2nd, a large number of flying insects appeared in some areas of Yuanjiang City, Yiyang. According to online videos, a large number of flying insects gather near street lamps, and there are also many flying insect corpses on the streets. The reporter from Xiaoxiang Morning News learned that the flying insect is a type of insect called mayfly.
On the evening of September 2nd, a netizen posted a video claiming that there were a large number of flying insects at streetlights near Qionghu Park and Wenhua Road in Yuanjiang City. In the video, a vehicle passes through a flying insect, which obstructs the driver's line of sight in front of the windshield. The vehicle can only slow down, and pedestrians on the road also leave quickly.
On September 3rd, the reporter learned from nearby merchants that this situation has occurred more than once. "Not long ago, there were also many places like us, and there were also other places in Yuanjiang with this situation." Ms. He introduced that flying insects like places with bright lights, and there are especially many street lights and other places.
"That bug looks a bit like a moth, but its wings are longer and it usually dies in less than a day. This situation happens every now and then, which still has a slight impact on our business," said another merchant.
Liu Jingbo, the head of the Yuanjiang Plant Protection and Inspection Station, told reporters that no feedback has been received from local residents regarding this matter at present. "No one has reported this to us yet, and I cannot confirm what you are saying. We need to wait for the government or technical department to conduct an appraisal before we can refute the rumor for the public. If it is a mayfly, it is very common and not very special."
Liu Yufeng, Deputy Director of Qionghu Street Agricultural Comprehensive Service Center, stated that he has understood the relevant situation. "There is a situation where the flying insect is a mayfly, flying over from Dongting Lake. This situation occurs every autumn and winter, and it doesn't have a significant impact. It usually stays fine overnight, and the sanitation union cleans it up every day. I'm not sure why it ran out."
According to a previous report by the Xiaoxiang Morning News, on the evening of September 4, 2022, a large number of mayflies appeared on the Huangmaozhou Bridge in Yuanjiang City. Mr. Zhao, the captain of the Xinhua Rescue Team in Yuanjiang City, told the Xiaoxiang Morning News reporter that they cleared a total of 9 hours of dead mayflies that night. The staff of the Yuanjiang Plant Protection and Inspection Station introduced to the reporter at that time that the mayfly belongs to a type of insect and lives in ponds and lakes when young. "Mayflies have a tendency to pounce when they see a light, and the main reason they come out is for mating." The staff said that mayflies have a short life cycle and do not affect crops or humans. They are also one of the food sources for fish.