Danubian mayfly swarming, 2013

MAGYARUL

Last year finally the media also noticed blooming is not only the privilege of the Tisza river, the Ephoron virgo may-flies started to swarm on the banks of the Danube. Some may thought this was only an unique and unrepeatable event. They were not right. Despite the record flood this June we will not miss the little may-flies this year. Good news: the Danube will bloom this year as well.

We have already received pictures and description from Tahitótfalu and Budapest, but we expect more from our readers. It is worthy to take your camera with you when taking a walk next to the Danube!
 

 

Gergő Rácz, Tahitótfalu, 19th August. It has begun!

István Takács, 20th August, Budapest: Yesterday evening I went down to the Margaret bridge, because it seemed the water has sunken so I could go to the head of the Margaret Island (not yet, but anyways I managed to do that). So down there next to the bridge I saw a lot of flying and floundering insect. I realized these were mayflies. There weren’t many, I only found some living and already dead ones next to the pillar. The spiders also did a pretty good job. Approximetly 1 hour later there weren’t any living specimen.

21th August. Nyugati railway station.  A lone Ephoron virgo flew into the lamp of the railway carriage waiting to set off. It died on a seat within a short time.

22th August Photos from Rácz Gergő, taken on the Tildy Zoltán bridge, Tahitótfalu.

More pictures from Gergő Rácz are available here (as well as last year’s stunning photos): http://indafoto.hu/raczger/dunaviragzas/page/1

Imre Potyó, Felsőgöd, 21th August. Danubian mayfly (Ephoron Virgo) swarming in Göd.

Apart from the mayfly swarming this picture is a good example of the light pollution caused by Budapest. No wonder that millions of mayflies are killed by artificial light sources.

 
There was a swarming – never seen before – last year in Budapest, Tahitótfalu, Vác, Göd and several other towns near the Danube. I made up my mind, this year I will be prepared for this miracle with my photo equipment. This is the most interesting theme I have ever met.
 
An article written by one of my co-workers and with one of my photos (in Hungarian language): http://www.origo.hu/idojaras/20130823-keresz-rovar-vizminoseg-fenycsapda-fenyszennyezes-ujra-viragzik-a-duna.html

Ferenc Bilek: Lethal light daces, 24th August, Tahitótfalu

They should put the dead mayflies back to the river, because this way billions of ova will be wasted on the streets. Supposedly in a dead mayfly there are 2-3000 eggs hiding. Under the street lamps the thickness of the dead mayflies almost reached my ankle. (Ferenc Bilek).

More beautiful pictures on these links:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.508253469255687.1073741855.370963192984716&type=1

http://dunavirag.okologia.mta.hu/

Pictures of the 2012  Danubian mayfly swarming: http://donauinseln.blogspot.hu/2012/11/the-danube-is-blooming.html