CP24, Bell Media's 24 hour Toronto news channel, published a story yesterday about Toronto's spring midges. The piece is attributed to Aarjavee Raaj, a CTVNewsToronto.ca Multi-Platform-Writer.
That headline might sound frightening to Torontonians who don't live near Lake Ontario. "Toronto grapples with swarms of midges" really makes it sound like something atypical is happening causing the city to "grapple". I'm here to share the midge #realtalk and assure this wonderful city that no grappling is required.
This is my 11th spring living south of Lake Shore in New Toronto, which means I've dealt with swarms of midges every spring since 2014. As a daily cyclist, that first spring is quite the surprise, because it's really a south Toronto phenomena, but after your first ride devouring a few hundred midges, you really do get used to it. By the time the midges disappeared in May 2014, I didn't even notice them. They're just part of the waterfront package.
I was surprised to read that CP24 article on May 3, because we're well passed peak midge. In fact, I rode home from The Concert Hall yesterday, and hopped on the Martin Goodman Trail at the Roncesvalles Bridge, riding it west to my home, and didn't engulf one midge!
The headline is alarmist, but you do get this juicy midge info.
There are many different species of midges across Ontario, but the ones that swarm together near water in Toronto are usually of one specific family dubbed the “Chironomidae,” also known as the non-biting midge, Darryl Gwynne, emeritus professor of biology at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus told CTV News.
Chironomidae is not only a tough word to spell, it's tough to pronounce, so I'll stick with midge. That non-biting detail is key, though, as I've gold my youngest two kids when we bike during midge mating season. They're harmless. Embrace the love that's literally in the air and rest assured it's fleeting.
I'm already starting to miss them.
