The Time Mayflies Cut Power at a Michigan Nuclear Plant

Maybe you heard about it, or perhaps you didn't. Still, it was 2020, and Michigan was dealing with a housing and toilet paper shortage while simultaneously navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and dodging murder hornets. On this particular evening, a swarm of mayflies reached their final destination: the Fermi 2 Nuclear Power Plant in Newport, Michigan. Their arrival raised several alarms.

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According to the Toledo Blade, on July 1st, 2020, at 11:05 pm (because nothing good happens after 10 pm), a cloud of mayflies decided to have a rave around one of the plant's powerlines, triggering a power outage. Imagine working at a nuclear power plant and seeing a black cloud of bugs engulf the power supply that keeps your factory from melting down.

Nature's Odd Power: When Michigan's Mayflies Knocked Out Power to Nuclear Plant

Considering this event in the context of 2020, the year that just kept throwing us curveballs, it only makes sense that on top of a nationwide pandemic, we should also have to contend with insects who have watched too many Marvel movies and are hoping for superpowers. A Nuclear Regulatory Commission report later confirmed that mayflies were responsible for the outage.

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Knowing there were mayfly swarms in the area, the light around the plant had already been dimmed before the event, but the mayflies didn't care. Stephen Tait, a then spokesman for Fermi 2, sounded more tired than shocked when he reported, "A bunch of mayflies landed on our equipment, causing arcing and a short circuit. You know--typical 2020 stuff." Fortunately for Tait and everyone working in and surrounding the nuclear power plant, the backup generators kicked in immediately when the juice was cut, avoiding disaster.

Other Than Nearly Causing Meltdowns, Michigan's Mayflies Are Harmless

Other than swarming and contributing to the dumpster fire that was 2020, Michigan's mayflies are harmless to humans. Despite what looks like a very painful stinger and its resemblance to other biting insects, mayflies don't sting or have a mouth.

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Their docile nature (other than trying to cut power to a nuclear reactor) is a blessing, as they are the Kardashians of the insect world--everywhere and impossible to avoid.