‘If you want you can have a snack’: Swarms of fishflies to emerge in Lake Winnipeg area

Dr. Jason Gibbs explains what Manitoba’s summer swarms of fish flies mean for water health—and why some people eat them too.

As swarms of fishflies begin to emerge around Lake Winnipeg for the summer season, one local expert is saying the smelly insect has its benefits, including as a high-protein snack.

According to Jason Gibbs, an associate professor in the University of Manitoba’s department of entomology, fishflies are a “very abundant” group of insects that live in aquatic environments, including streams, rivers and lakes.

He explained that the insects, also known as mayflies, have mass emergences at different times of the year depending on the species, adding that the adults have very short lifespans.

“They don’t even have functional mouth parts as adults,” he said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Tuesday.

“They come out only to make more mayflies, and then they kind of disappear.”

Gibbs said there are some fishfly species that are rarely seen; however, the species that are associated with lakes tend to have huge numbers living in the water, which all come out at the same time to mate.

Though many may see the mayfly as a nuisance, researchers use them as a way to monitor the quality of stream health.

“A healthy community [of fishflies] is a sign that the water quality is sufficient,” Gibbs said.

“These are important parts of the ecosystem. So, it’s good that we see lots of mayflies.”

Gibbs added that not only are fishflies harmless, but they are also edible.

He said fishflies are more of a “niche” dish, noting that some people say they taste like buttery popcorn.

“If you want, you can have a snack if you see a bunch of mayflies,” he said.

For those interested in trying a bite of mayfly, Gibbs said the recommended method is to hold them by the wings and bite off the body.

“They’re very high in protein. They taste good enough,” he said. “And if you think that’s a little bit strange, just think of them as being a very small shrimp.”

• With files from CTV’s Ainsley McPhail.