Canadian soldiers invade Cleveland

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In summary, during a game between the Indians and Yankees, there was an unusual occurrence where clouds of insects, known as mayflies, swarmed around the players. This was due to abnormally warm weather and mayflies returning to the area after a long absence, possibly due to efforts to clean up Lake Erie. The insects caused distractions and hindered player performance, but their presence is actually a positive sign for the lake's ecosystem. Mayflies are not true flies and do not bite, but rather their only purpose is to procreate. This phenomenon brought back memories for some and earned the nickname "Canadian soldiers."
  • #1
BobG
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I was watching the Indians-Yankees game and this had to be one of the most bizarre things I've seen in sports. It was like something from a sci-fi movie.

There were clouds of insects circling around all the players. The pitcher was trying to pitch and insects were crawling all over his face and the back of his face. Not surprisingly, he walked the batter on 4 pitches, his 5th pitch was a wild pitch that sent the runner to second, and, eventually, the Indians scored the tying run on a wild pitch.

The funniest scene in the game was the Yankees base coach trying to wave away hordes of insects. It's a bunt! No, it's a steal! Who knows what's going to happen! :rofl:

You could almost tell which players were going to do well and which were going to bomb by how much time they spent waving bugs away. It completely broke the concentration of a lot of the players.

The reason was abnormally warm weather. They normally come out in June (they're also called mayflies and June bugs). On a positive note, another reason for the hordes of insects was the effort to clean up Lake Erie (the Cuyahoga River which drains into Lake Erie once caught fire). Mayflies had completely disappeared from the area during the 50's and 60's.

http://www.northcountrytrail.org/news/mayfly1.htm [Broken] - it was a sign of good times for Cleveland - they contributed to the Indians tying the game.:rofl:

Each June, like a scene from a horror film, millions of adult mayflies swarm from the lake's shallow waters and move inland for a short but spectacular shore leave. Mayflies mate in flight, after which the female flies back over the water and deposits as many as 8,000 eggs. There, her eggs sink into the sediment at the lake’s bottom. The entire process – from the time the mayfly nymph emerges from the water to molt, mate and die – takes only 24 to 72 hours.

While their annual reproduction ritual is a nuisance for locals who must scrape swarming mayflies from windshields and shovel them off porches and roadways, it is a life-affirming sign for biologists who understand the insects' important role in Lake Erie's intricate food chain.
 
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  • #2
That brings back memories! When I was a kid, my parents owned a cottage on Lake Erie near Ashtabula, and I remember those mayflies. Sometimes we'd go up there and then not be able to do anything outdoors because of those pesky critters. :yuck:

This was in the late '50s and early '60s, but the water was probably better where we were, than it was near Cleveland.
 
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  • #3
BobG said:
the Cuyahoga River which drains into Lake Erie once caught fire
In the 60s, the Cuyahoga carried more oil than water!

Go Indians!
 
  • #4
Canadian soldiers invade Cleveland! ? I don't get the Canadian connection...
 
  • #5
"Canadian soldiers" is one of several nicknames for mayflies.

Some have called these critters mayflies and others, midges or gnats. Midges and gnats are colloquial names for several small true flies (order Diptera). Some midges bite, some don't. Midges and gnats have two goals in life: Procreate and get fuel to enable more procreation. Sometimes humans are the source of this fuel.

Mayflies are not true flies. They are the order Ephemeroptera. They spend almost all of their life in the nymph stage and emerge simultaneously to spend one day or so as sex-crazed adults. They cannot bite; their mouths don't work. Adult Ephemeroptera have one goal: Procreate.

Were these critters just swarming around the players or did they bite?
 

1. What is the background of the Canadian soldiers invading Cleveland?

The background of the Canadian soldiers invading Cleveland is a fictional event that has been portrayed in various media and entertainment platforms. It is not based on any real-life event or historical occurrence.

2. Why would Canadian soldiers invade Cleveland?

The reason for Canadian soldiers invading Cleveland is typically portrayed as a fictional military exercise or as part of a larger fictional conflict between Canada and the United States. It is not based on any actual political or military motivation.

3. How realistic is the concept of Canadian soldiers invading Cleveland?

The concept of Canadian soldiers invading Cleveland is purely fictional and highly unrealistic. Canada and the United States have a strong and friendly relationship, making a military invasion highly unlikely.

4. Is there any evidence of Canadian soldiers ever invading Cleveland?

No, there is no evidence of Canadian soldiers ever invading Cleveland. As mentioned before, it is a fictional concept and has never occurred in real life.

5. What impact would a Canadian invasion of Cleveland have on both countries?

If a Canadian invasion of Cleveland were to occur, it would have significant and negative impacts on both countries. It would strain the relationship between Canada and the United States and would likely result in serious diplomatic and economic consequences.

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