Hidden Unseen: 2014-07-27

Once a year, the bugs emerge — millions of them. Every summer, they swarm en masse around the banks of the Mississippi River. It’s mating season for mayflies.

There are so many of them, in fact, that they can show up on weather radar.

Check out this weather radar GIF from the evening of July 20, which shows clouds of flies leaving the Upper Mississippi River in Wisconsin and taking to the air to breed.

Though they live underwater for a few years, depending on the species, they only last a week or so after leaving the water — just enough time to breed.

After taking flight, they swarmed the towns of La Crosse, La Crescent, and Stoddard, traveling generally to the north.

Though it happens every year, this swarm is particularly large. The National Weather Service compares this to the 2012 hatching event, earning the “massive emergence” tag in their records.

In 2012, there were so many that officials used snowplows to remove them from the roads.

Though the swarm may appear terrifying, and causes car accidents, it’s actually a good sign for the health of the river. The flies are sensitive to pollution and don’t survive in dirty water. And they provide a veritable banquet for birds, bats, and other predators.

After finding a mate and breeding, the females return to the river to drop their eggs, and then die.

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Earth is known to be home to some fascinating, seemingly otherworldly places. One such place is Vale da Lua in Brazil, which is adjacent to the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park in the Brazilian Highlands. It is an area where ancient lava flows and the São Miguel River have carved the rocks into interesting shapes. They look like ripples and waves, but they’re actually solid rock. There is, however, a lot of water in the area too, which adds to the beauty of the place. Full of small pools and large waterfalls, Vale da Lua is attractive to those who are interested in rock climbing or trying to find natural water slides to play on.

Vale da Lua translates to Valley of the Moon. It received this name because the rocks give people the impression of moon rocks. Now, you don’t even have to leave the Earth to get a glimpse of what the Moon’s landscape might look like in person! Just travel on over to Vale da Lua and imagine yourself among the craters of the Moon, with water and trees all around you.

The wonders of Vale da Lua don’t stop at the weird rocks and pools of water for it is also packed with quartz crystals. This makes the area shine brightly when looked at by astronauts from outer space, which gives one a sense that this place is full of power. Indeed, many people believe these crystals have special healing powers. Either way, they’re pretty beautiful to look at.

If you would like to visit Vale da Lua, you’ll probably be in luck in terms of privacy, because the area is relatively unknown to most people, even to Brazilians. It’s the perfect place to swim, explore the rocky area, or simply sit and enjoy nature. There is certainly plenty to see on a hike through the area, and the landscape could make for a pretty spectacular photoshoot.

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Terrifying Swarm Of Flies Is So Massive It Shows Up On Weather Radar

Vale da Lua in Brazil