We will be hosting a Mayfly Watch Workshop on June 20th, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. This workshop will teach you everything that you need to know about becoming a successful Citizen Scientist, how to use Nature’s Notebook and how to identify what you will be looking for. This workshop is intended for all age groups. Workshop will be held at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center, 7071 Riverview Rd, Thomson, IL 61285. For more information and to pre-register call 815-273-2732.
We are seeking observers along the Mississippi River to track the timing of the seasonal event of Mayfly emergence. Every year, mayflies emerge from the Mississippi River, and the result can be extraordinary! Large emergences can number in the millions – enough to be picked up by weather radar. Mayflies are an important food source for fish, especially during the summer emergence but also throughout the year when they are in their larval form.
The US Fish & Wildlife Service is interested in tracking the timing of seasonal events like these. Our hope is that our neighbors of the river, armed with their mayfly identification, will learn to notice the seasonal changes that occur on the river during the summer.
